Don’t let your guard down after Coronavirus vaccination – GHS

Health Promotion Specialist, Health Promotion Division of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Kisses Johnson, has urged the public to still observe the safety protocols after taking the COVID-19 vaccine.

He said even though the vaccines strengthen the immune system to fight viruses if exposed, it was still essential for people to continue to adhere to the COVID-19 protocols and help reduce the chances of being further exposed.

He added that it had been observed that some persons who had the inoculation, were disregarding the COVID-19 protocols with careless abandon as they failed to physically distance in public places and move about without their nose masks as prescribed.

Mr. Johnson who was speaking remotely in an orientation programme for journalists at Tema, said “the duration of protection following vaccination is still not fully established as studies were still ongoing.

He said it was important to receive the vaccine to build the body’s ability to fight any future infection, but it is equally important to continue to follow the protocols.

The virtual programme sought to strengthen the capacity of social mobilizers, including Journalists, to deliver information and respond to questions about the COVID-19 vaccine.

It also sought to deepen social mobilizers’ familiarity with their roles and possible approaches they could use in generating demand and acceptability of the vaccines amongst key stakeholders.

Speaking on how quickly vaccines could control the pandemic, he said, “We don’t know how quickly COVID-19 vaccines could control the pandemic.

He however noted that it will depend on many factors, such as the level of vaccine effectiveness; how quickly they are approved and manufactured; how many people get vaccinated; and the continuation of measures such as physical distancing and mask use.

Mr. Johnson encouraged the public to rely on reputable and authoritative sources of information, such as health care providers and public health officials, to help them make informed choices and stay up to date on the vaccines.

He demystified assertions that it was not safe to take COVID-19 Vaccines, emphasizing that, based on current knowledge, experts believed that COVID-19 vaccines were unlikely to pose a risk to a person trying to become pregnant in the short or long term.

“There is currently no evidence that antibodies formed from COVID-19 vaccination cause any problems with pregnancy, including the development of the placenta,” he added.

He explained that there was no evidence suggesting that fertility problems were a side effect of the COVID-19 vaccine.

“People who were trying to become pregnant now or who plan to try in the future could receive the COVID-19 vaccine when it became available to them,” he stated.