July 9, 2021
By: Francis F.M.Harding
Sierra Leone received the first batch of 96,000 doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine shipped via the COVAX facility. Despite these assurances, however, doubts persist which may further threaten the vaccination exercise, and possibly undermine NACOVERCS ability to vaccinate millions of eligible citizens.
As we join hands together in fighting the pandemic the health authorities have been trying to secure the lives of it citizens. As we are living in the third wave of the COVID-19 A-Z press was on the streets of Freetown to get the views of the citizens willingness to take the COVID-19 vaccine.
Question to Citizens: Will you be willing to take the COVID-19 Vaccine?
Amara a Journalist
“The issue of trust is a major challenge for most Sierra Leoneans because leadership has been a major challenge and the people tend not to trust the system in place despite the campaigns and enlightenment… people feel what the government is giving as vaccines may not be the same thing others are receiving, that is some people’s understanding and I think that is the major factor, experts say vaccine hesitancy will not only threaten COVID-19 response but prevent Sierra Leone from achieving immunity”.
The Public Relations Officer for the Bike Riders Association Lumley
“I am sure it was because of the awareness and media support within the period that encouraged people to come out for the vaccination but today, the turnout is decreasing since they hear that a nurse has died when she took the vaccine” he said.
Chief Kandeh
“People are always resistant to change… but with time people will see the benefit of taking the vaccine so that you protect yourself and by extension protect your family” .
Cecilia
Let corona virus ask Ebola what happening to it then it will know. Prevention is better that cure just like Ebola
Victor
“I will not be interested because the vaccines that were introduced to the citizens the government is not sure of it. The vaccine is uncertain and I will not take anything that is not going to work”
Patrick
“I am not interested in such vaccine, the government must do a follow up with the medical people for them to go and test the vaccine in a lab”
Sorie
“Sierra Leoneans want to know how we measure the effectiveness of a vaccine before they will take it”
Mariama
“If the government says we musttake the vaccine I will take it as the government will not want to kill its citizens… that is why government is saying to take the vaccine to prevent us from the COVID-19 virus”
Massah
“It is an international conspiracy… let’s look at the death rates in the world and Africa is vulnerable, the donors are calling the shots. So whatever the whites say we are obliged to submit to it.”
Zainab
“People are having a lot of speculation and rumour and it reduces the credibility of the process. It is only if genuine and sincere people are engaged in sending out the right messages; otherwise it is bound to create distractions and doubts in the minds of the people.”
Rebecca
“Is not a matter of me or anybody else, COVID-19 is real. I always wear the mask and wash my hands. The vaccine are not ready to be rolled out because there are issues of side effect. I am not going take it…”
Osman
“We have to prevent ourselves and we know what is going on in the world I am willing to take it. I will take it. Why. The main aim of the vaccine is to prevent someone for having the disease and the virus is very dangerous and if there is something to prevent itt why should I not take the vaccine”
Alimamy
“It is needed for wellness for the general being in this country. If the authority says it okey I will take it”
Susan
“It depends on the situation on the ground. But for me I am not interested in taking it. Why? I don’t have COVID19 and I don’t see any reason to take it”
Osman
“I was about to take it but when I heard that a senior nurse died after taking the COVID-19 vaccine, though it is not scientifically proven, I had a change of mind. I know that vaccines are not 100% effective. I am not going to take it…”
Yeama
“I believe that this vaccine strengthens the immune system, a friend of mine took the vaccine and was active for the rest of day and nothing happened to her…”
Nurse Mariam
“So, when we took it, we served as ambassadors and people will come forward to take it…”
Marian a local resident at Dwarzack
“I don’t want to take the vaccine because I don’t know from where the medicine comes from I can’t put my life in danger for whatever because we don’t know where the medicine is coming from”
Emma
“For me, I would not take the COVID-19 because I have not had enough education about it. This is why I am not ready to take it”
Bockarie
“I am a journalist and willing to take the vaccine but the news he is getting from those who have taken the vaccine are complaining about the reaction of the vaccine”
Fatmata litigant at the Magistrate Court
“I have already taken the vaccine but my sister called me from Kenya that someone told her about the dangers of the vaccine on women as she is worried now”
Nancy a business woman at Dwarzack
“I have been unhappy ever since I heard of the disease in Sierra Leone but what can a common woman do in this situation to take the vaccine? I am afraid to take the vaccine”