Communities receive Covid-19 awareness

MORE than 500 isolated communities in 12 provinces received awareness on the Covid-19 vaccine last week.
People in East Sepik, West Sepik, Morobe, Madang, Eastern Highlands, Southern Highlands, Chimbu, Jiwaka, Hela, Enga, Gulf and Western were able to receive important information from Christian Radio Missionary Fellowship (CRMF) through its radio station.
The awareness was on the importance of the Covid-19 vaccination and clarification on misconceptions surrounding the vaccine.
CRMF said people in the provinces had been asking when the vaccines would be rolled out to the rest of the country.
Frequently asked questions had been on the safety of the vaccines as misinformation had been spread on social media.
The broadcast explained that the likelihood of adverse reactions to the vaccine was very small – around four people out of 500,000 would have a negative reaction.
They referenced the information to a panel of experts at a recent forum held in Port Moresby which the Kokoda Trek Foundation summarised in an English and Tok Pisin poster.
The radio programme stressed that vaccination was not compulsory and only those who wanted to be vaccinated would receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.
CRMF said the AstraZeneca vaccine despite being developed last year, had been clinically tested and passed and had already been used in many countries.
CRMF said positive responses and feedbacks were received from the isolated communities during the broadcast.