An Immunologist at Noguchi Dr. Kwadwo Asamoah has assured Ghanaians about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine being expected in the country this week.

He said the vaccines are safe and have proven efficiency in the fights against the deadly virus.

“Almost everybody should feel safe to take the vaccine but if you’re in doubt, talk to your doctor who knows your medical history. One thing that we have to be clear is that the side effects we’re talking about are in most vaccines. It’s all a sign that your body is responding and there’s no cause for alarm.

“It’s very important to educate people on the vaccine because if we don’t vaccinate a large number of people, it will be in vain. There’s nothing that doesn’t have any side effects. As I mentioned, it’s not just for #COVID19 vaccines. It’s true that the vaccine will change your immune system but it’s changing it for the better,” he told Morning Starr host Francis Abban Tuesday.

Ghana is expected to receive its first stock of the COVID-19 vaccines by the close of this week.

“We have indications that by close of the week, we will get the vaccine, so we are just waiting for the documentation which we are likely to get by close of business today. So from 6 pm thereabout we will be able to tell exactly the date and time of arrival but definitely before the end of the week,”

“We will need an airway bill, batch release certificates, a commercial invoice, packing list and a certificate of analysis. Of course, we will also be needing a purchasing order. That is what we are waiting for,” Programme Manager of the Expanded Programme on Immunization of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Kwame Amponsa-Achiano told Accra-based Citi FM.

Vaccine roll out

Government is targeting 20 million Ghanaians to be vaccinated.

Officially announcing a roll-out plan for the vaccines at a stakeholder engagement forum on Friday, February 19, 2021, Minister for Information Designate, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah explained that discussions have been ongoing in the background with several meetings with industry experts to settle on a comprehensive roll-out plan for the vaccines.

He said “as you have followed in recent weeks during the President’s addresses, Ghana is been working on a vaccination roll-out programme and has been working to determine which vaccines, when, what quantities, what are the segments of the population, what are the cost to countries who receive the vaccines among others. Today, we are in a position where we can formally inform the nation of where we are on this journey."

He acknowledged that the engagement was important particularly to help cure the long-held misconception by some sections of the public that vaccines are harmful and should not be administered. He said it is important to take inputs from stakeholders in order to demystify this long-held misconception and to further engage them on the roll-out of the vaccines hence, the need for the forum.