Tema and Kpone Residents Express Mixed Reactions to COVID-19 Vaccine

By Ghana News Agency -Feb 24, 2021

Some traders at Tema Community One market as well as residents of Kpone-Katamanso Municipality on Wednesday expressed mixed reactions on the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccination exercise.

Mr Kwaku Aggeman-Manu, the Minster of Health-designate, at 0700 hours today, February, 24th, 2021 on behalf of the Government of Ghana received the nation’s first batch of the COVID-19 vaccine.

In a random interview with residents in Tema and Kpone-Katamanso by the Ghana News Agency Tema team, some school of thought admitted that the coronavirus had retarded the progress of the country and it was good to receive the vaccine, which would help to improve the health condition of the citizens.

According to the school of thought, they are ready to take the vaccine because according to them government have invested more funds to secure the medication to protect citizen, “so we must be prepared to partake in the COVID-19 vaccination exercise”.

Most of the traders who said they were ready to partake in the vaccination stressed that even though it might not be compulsory to take the vaccine, it may be a requirement for traveling outside the country very soon.

“The same applies to the yellow fever vaccine, many people refused to go for the vaccination at the Tema Harbour, but now whenever you want to travel outside the country, you are required to present a yellow fever card as part of your particulars that shows that you have been vaccinated,” some of the traders stated.

The other school of thought who kicked against participation in the COVID-19 vaccination based their argument on the ‘wrong foundation’ that COVID-19 was for the affluent people especially those who had air condition at the work places, the homes, cars hence the government will be making money out of it.

They also pressed the panic button and questioned whether there would be any side effects after taking the vaccination stressing that if the vaccine could not entirely protect them from contracting COVID-19 then they would prefer adhering to the protocols.

Scores of others also proffered that Ghana was endowed with natural herbs, which when invested in could have fought against the disease, boost people’s immune systems and served as COVID-19 cure.

“I am not taking the medicine until I see the authorities and their family members taking it, after that I will investigate whether the vaccine given to them would be the same as what would be offered the public,” Francis Nuertey Tetteh of Kpone stated.

“I will wait for a month and if nothing happens to those who have taken it, then I will, because I don’t know how it will react with my immune system,” Madam Sheila Korkor Nartey also of Kpone stated.

“I will take it because the rate at which people are dying is scary, although there has been a lot of misconceptions about the vaccine, Ghana is not the first country to use it,” Mr Andy Sackitey another resident stated.

GNA observed during the survey that, those who kicked against partaking in the COVID-19 vaccination exercise were afraid of the after effect, did not trust the health authorities, and lack understanding of the whole issues.

Scores therefore appealed to the National Commission for Civic Education, Information Services Department and the media to assist in educating the public to reduce the fear syndrome as well as the misconception about COVID-19 pandemic it is a disease for the affluent.