by Peregba Jerry and Yerindideke Kindness Ayibakuro
The Supervisor on Covid-19 vaccine ICT e-Registration at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Adissa Ward 1, Yenagoa has urged residents who are yet to be vaccinated to get the vaccines now that it is available.
Mr. Adeolu Tella, who spoke to our correspondent at the FMC in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, said the vaccination exercise is in the its first stage and has a limited time frame before kick-off of its second stage of vaccination. He noted that so far there are no severe side effects recorded apart from the usual mild symptoms of immunization. He also stated if there is any serious side effect, there is a provision to attend to such cases if it is reported.
He advised residents to take council from their doctors and nurses, if they are skeptical about the vaccines pointing out that over 1,000 people have already taken their first jab of the Oxford/AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccines at the Adissa ward 1. He admonished for early registration and vaccination
‘’So at this site we still have the vaccines but then the vaccines would be available until Saturday, it has been extended up till Saturday so expect that the vaccines we have would be available. The reason the government extended is to enable more people to access it, there are a lot of people who want but were unable to meet the initial period that was allotted.
‘’We have handled over a thousand people, probably going towards 2000 people that have been vaccinated at this particular site not to talk of other sites all over the state, you know all the local governments so there would be a lot of sites that have vaccinated other people. Definitely, there are some side effects, mostly mild just like any other vaccine people take, they tend to have some mild side effects, a little pain here, a little fever there but then one or two people feel a bit dizzy, they sit down for about 5-10minutes and walk away feeling ok,’’ he noted.
He encouraged everybody to take their jab, ‘’ they should not be afraid, they should go for it. I took the vaccine myself over three weeks ago and I continue to do my job and nothing stopped me from working, nothing stopped me from moving around. A lot of people have taken also among the healthcare workers in different categories and they are doing well’’, he stated.
Also, on his part the SA to the commissioner for health, Bayelsa state, Dr. Williams Appah has urged Bayelsans to locate government medical centers across the state to be part of the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination exercise.
Dr. Appah said it is imperative everyone takes the vaccine as it is available and at no cost noting that the governor and every other official in the ministry has already taken their first jab.
He however, douse fears from some corners on the vaccine.
