Citizens have been encouraged to take the Covid-19 Vaccines uptake seriously as it is safe and effective.
This was made known today at a one-day town hall meeting with influencers on covid-19 vaccine safety & effectiveness held at Greatlinks Continental Hotel Hall Gold & Base, Plateau State.
The program which is part of project activities for Covid-19 Vaccine Public Awareness, Vaccines safety and effectiveness by Friday Bako with support from the MacArthur Foundation and the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD).
Comr Friday Bako, Implementing Partner of CITAD/MacArthur Foundation COVID-19 Vaccine Public Awareness Project, in his opening remark, said the town hall meeting was part of activities aimed at creating public awareness on the covid-19 vaccine and also an opportunity to reach out to marginalized groups, thereby raising ambassadors that will talk to others about the safety and effectiveness of the covid-19 Vaccines.
He noted that it was important to increase the vaccine uptake in the state as the only alternative to curb the dreaded covid-19 virus.
“The role of youth influencers in society can not be overlooked as they offer wider coverage, especially coming from communities where information dissemination is poor. The sensitization will help build them as ambassadors and when they go back to their communities, they will step down what they have heard about the covid-19 vaccine and make sure that there is a wide level of acceptability.” Comr Friday Bako further stated.
Mr. Tobias Choji, Chief Medical Laboratory Scientist at National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) Vom Plateau State while delivering a Presentation on COVID-19 Vaccine Safety & Effectiveness, said that the Covid-19 Vaccines have been certified safe globally because it has passed through the different stages of a clinical trial.
He stated that during the clinical trial, the vaccine’s efficacy, and safety effectiveness is known before being sent to the public for general administration.
Mr Tobia, further noted that issuance of the vaccines was not something that was done within a small circle of people but has passed from local communities to regions to counties and continents with other organizations working with the WHO and the food and drug administration and other agencies, to ensure global standard and safety.
There was also a short drama presentation about the covid19 Vaccine safety, at the end of the town hall meeting, with many participants also attesting, that a lot of the misgivings and mistrust they earlier had about vaccination has been corrected.
