The Kadjebi District Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service has begun the vaccination of 496 workers who are at higher risk of contracting the COVID-19 pandemic.

They include 417 health staff and 79 from the National Health Insurance Authority, Ambulance Service, and the Veterinary Service.

Eric Nana Takyi, the Kadjebi District Director of Health disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after taking his jab.

He implored Ghanaians to get vaccinated, saying the vaccines were meant to protect and reduce the risk of contracting coronavirus disease.

Nana Takyi said the COVID-19 vaccine was not the first to be administered in the country and named polio, measles, and yellow fever vaccinations carried out in the past years.

He said COVID-19 was real and urged the people to observe the preventive and safety protocols of handwashing with soap under running water, social distancing, wearing of face mask, and using an alcohol-based sanitiser.

Nana Takyi urged the populace to wear their masks at all times when outside their homes.

He said everyone was at risk of contracting the deadly coronavirus; be it someone in the big city or the rural area.

Nana Takyi entreated citizens to dispel the conspiracy theories and myths against the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out in the country and get vaccinated.

He said such conspiracy theories should be treated with the contempt they deserved because they had no scientific proof.

Nana Takyi said the vaccination would contribute to the reduction in COVID-19 ill-health and deaths and also enhance the mental and psychosocial well-being of Ghanaians.

He reiterated that the vaccine was not the cure for COVID-19 and so the protocols must be observed even after vaccination.