[ad_1]
Residents of Ho Municipality in the Volta region have expressed resentment over the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines that have arrived in the country out of fear of side effects and black depopulation conspiracy theories.
They raised religious concerns and the possibility that the vaccine could alter their DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) among others.
Mr. Setriakor Gagakuma, City Officer Ho, National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has launched a campaign to debunk conspiracy theories constructed against the COVID-19 vaccine.
The campaign took place in the main central market, various truck stations and some communities.
He explained to various audiences that the conspiracies were bogus and that once stretched on the web of empirical and scientific truths, they would not stand the test of time.
The city manager, after allaying the fears of the population, encouraged groups not to be wary of following safety protocols by saying “this is our best bet until a permanent cure is formulated for the disease”.
He said that despite the arrival of vaccines, the best medicine was still masking and social distancing, as any reckless lifestyle could jeopardize efforts to curb the spread of the virus.
Professor Fred Newton Binka, epidemiologist and public health physician, said the theories were not based on empirical facts and should be debunked.
He explained that vaccines cannot alter DNAs by saying that vaccines communicate with immune cells to produce proteins to attack the virus and also to kill them.
The former vice-chancellor of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) said the side effects were the same as those of other vaccines children take, the pain and swelling at the site, the headache and nausea, diarrhea, weakness of the body, which sometimes lasted for up to three days, were normal features.
“As for the question of infertility, it is unthinkable nonsense.”
The government of Ghana has taken delivery of 600,000 AstraZeneca doses of COVID-19 vaccines and has decided to deploy them to health facilities and designated centers from March 2 for vaccination.
— RNG
Source link
