COVID-19 vaccines are safe; let’s go for them

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says COVID-19 vaccines are safe and encourages the citizenry to go for them to curb the spread of the virus.

He said getting the jab was the “best route out of the pandemic because, it reduces the risk of death, hospitalisation and the spread of the virus.”

“Let me state, as clearly as I can. The vaccines are safe. They will not harm you. They will protect you and your family,” the President said in a televised national address to give an update on the measures being adopted by the Government to counter the coronavirus pandemic and to persuade the populace to accept the vaccines.

He also reiterated the call for all to observe all the set hygiene and safety protocols as the yuletide approached.

Declaring the month of December as the vaccination month, President Akufo-Addo asked the citizens to ignore vaccine deniers because there was nothing to fear in taking the jabs.

“… Contrary to the mischief being peddled by some, getting vaccinated will not cause you to vote for the NPP in the 2024 elections, if you do not want to. This is an outrageous claim .Vaccination cannot change your political preferences. That is not its purpose,” he said.

The President said there were significant quantities of vaccines deployed to every corner of the country, and was optimistic that the Governments’ agenda to inoculate 20 million Ghanaians by the end of the year would be achieved.

He said the Government was rolling out an aggressive campaign of vaccination, “so that as many Ghanaians as possible have the opportunity to be vaccinated.”

“It is a race against time, but we are determined to accomplish it,” he said, saying that as at Tuesday, December 14, 2021, the Ghana Health Service had taken delivery of some 17,736,710 vaccine doses, and expecting an additional 8,529,090 doses by the end of the year.

“We have enough vaccines in the system. So, my fellow Ghanaians, I encourage each and every one of you to take advantage of this, and get vaccinated.”

The President advised the public to be mindful of COVID-19 during the festive season.

He asked them to be guided by what happened last Christmas, where there was a sharp spike in the number of COVID infection cases and deaths in January and February 2021.

“We should avoid the repetition of such a scenario after this year’s Christmas celebration,” he stressed, advising that all social events be held in open spaces, with attendees wearing masks, observing social distance and observing enhanced hygiene protocols.

“Whilst Government does its part to secure the necessary numbers of vaccines to help vaccinate all Ghanaians, we cannot afford to disregard the social distancing, hand washing, mask wearing and enhanced hygiene protocols that have brought us this far. They must continue to be a part and parcel of our daily lives and routines.”

The Government, President Akufo-Addo indicated, had beefed up response capability and capacity to deal with the virus “should we encounter an upsurge in infections.”

“Over time, we have expanded our healthcare infrastructure, including oxygen supply and reach, particularly with respect to testing and treatment centres, and the training of health professionals across the country in the care of severe and critically ill persons.

” However, our best bet in the fight remains adhering to the enhanced hygiene, social distancing and mask wearing protocols, and getting vaccinated.

“Let us choose to live and act responsibly throughout the Christmas festivities, and remember that our actions or inactions will either help to end the pandemic at a much faster rate, or continue to spread the virus in the country.

“I, on my part, will do everything possible to protect lives and livelihoods, and help return our nation to normalcy. It is possible, and the Government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is determined to realise this goal as quickly as possible,” the President reiterated.