Akufo-Addo, Bawumia to receive COVID-19 vaccination live on TV
To allay the fears and anxiety of Ghanaians about the COVID-19 vaccine, President Akufo-Addo and some prominent officials will today take jabs of the AstraZeneca vaccine in public.
Addressing the nation on Sunday, February 28, 2021, President Akufo-Addo reiterated the safety of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines.
“As your President, I want to assure you that the vaccine is safe. That is why tomorrow, on Monday, 1st March, ahead of the commencement of the vaccination programme on Tuesday, 2nd March, my wife the First Lady, the Vice President, his wife the Second Lady, and I will take the vaccine publicly at two (2) health facilities in Accra,” he said.
“I have gone on record as saying that no vaccine will be deployed in the country for use without the express certification of the FDA”. He added: “Our domestic regulatory agency, FDA, one of the most reputable in Africa and in the world, has certified the safe use of the vaccine”.
Key public officials such as the Speaker and Members of Parliament, the Chief Justice and Justices of the Superior Court of Judicature, Chairperson and Members of the Council of State, the Chief of Staff and senior officials at the Office of the President, and prominent personalities like some Eminent Clergy, the National Chief Imam, the Asantehene, the Ga Mantse, and some media practitioners will also, on Tuesday, take the jab publicly.
Ghana is expected to roll out its worldwide vaccination programme on Tuesday, March 2, after receiving an initial 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
The consignment is part of an initial tranche of 2.4million vaccines manufactured and licensed by the Serum Institute of India (Coviahield).
The vaccines were acquired through the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility (COVAX).
But several African countries have embraced the vaccine with South Africa rolling out its vaccination programme in February.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa receives COVID-19 vaccination
It did not hurt a bit, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said, shortly after he became one of the first South Africans to receive the hot-off-the-plane coronavirus vaccine at a public clinic in Cape Town’s sprawling Khayelitsha township, the VOA News reported.
“At first, I was a bit terrified of this long needle that was going to be embedded into my arm, but it happened so quickly, so easily, it was just a prick on my flesh, and I really did not feel much pain,” he said.
The 68-year-old president did ask the nurse if he could close his eyes before getting the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine in his left arm, just hours after 80,000 doses of the vaccine landed in South Africa.
Akufo-Addo dispels myths about the COVID-19 vaccine
But conspiracy theories may threaten the success of the programme.
Hence, President Akufo-Addo dispelled myths and misconception about the vaccines, including perceptions of impotence and sterilisation of Africans.
“Taking the vaccine will not alter your DNA, it will not embed a tracking device in your body, neither will it cause infertility in women or in men,” he assured.
One of the leaders pushing back the vaccines is Tanzanian President, John Magufuli.
He had warned the country’s health ministry against rushing into embracing the COVID19 vaccines promoted by foreign companies and countries.
President Magufuli cast doubt on the global urge to develop the COVID-19 vaccine claiming that little has been done to help cure other diseases like tuberculosis, HIV-Aids, malaria among other infections.
“You should stand firm. Vaccinations are dangerous. If the white man was able to come up with vaccinations, he should have found a vaccination for AIDS by now; he would have found a vaccination of tuberculosis by now; he would have found a vaccination for malaria by now; he would have found a vaccination for cancer by now,” he said.