Ghanaian Immunologist, Dr. Yaw Bediako has assured Ghanaians of the safety of COVID-19 vaccines saying “the vaccines are good and have very little side effects on humans”.
He noted that out of a million people, just three people will suffer side effects and furthered the side effects are not severe.
Ghana has become the first country in the world to receive vaccines acquired through the United Nations-backed COVAX initiative with a delivery Wednesday of 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine made by the Serum Institute of India.
The vaccines, delivered by UNICEF, arrived at Accra’s Kotoka International Airport early Wednesday and are part of the first wave of COVID-19 vaccines that COVAX is sending to several low- and middle-income countries. Ghana is among 92 countries that have signed onto the COVAX program, according to a statement by Ghana’s acting Minister of Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.
With conspiracy theories surrounding the arrival of the vaccine, some Ghanaians have refused to take it ahead of the country’s immunisation exercise. Some out of misinformation claim the vaccine may cause impotency in men as one of the many long term side effects.
Addressing these concerns, Dr. Yaw Bediako said, “The side effects of the vaccine are very few. Three out of a million people suffer side effects. After taking the vaccine, you will feel your hand swollen slightly but it causes no permanent damage. There are slim chances of one suffering side effects and it is nothing serious that should cause panic”.
On his authority, the AstraZeneca vaccine is good for Ghana and asked that the vaccination process be rolled out quickly with Ghanaians actively participating in the exercise.
He made this known in an interview with Sefah-Danquah on Happy 98.9 FM’s Epa Hoa Daben political talk show.
“We have to roll out the vaccine quick to break the transmission cycle and kills the virus quickly. If we get the 20 million people vaccinated quickly, the virus will spread more, mutate and cause problems for the country. If we wait for five (5) to eight (8) months and we don’t vaccinate the 20 million Ghanaians, it will be problematic”, he reiterated.
