‘Dead all unvaccinated’

By ELIAS LARI
THIRTY people who died from the Coronavirus (Covid-19) at Mt Hagen Hospital since Sept 17 were not vaccinated, Western Highlands health authority chief executive officer Jane Holden says.
She brushed aside rumours and claims of the Covid-19 vaccine side effects posted on social media.
Holden said when the province lockdown from today would give people an opportunity to come forward to get vaccinated.
She said vaccine would only help people against the Covid-19 and they needed to think outside the box.
Holden said the hospital had 74 admitted patients from the 1,388 positive cases.
Some of the 91 hospital staff who also tested positive one, in isolation.
“Just compare this figure and see and think about your health.
“Are you safe?
“We are targeting 74,000 people to be vaccinated but people are not responding well and this can be one of the factors we keep seeing more positive cases,” Holden said.
She said the health authority believed that more positive people were still in the villages.
“We are encouraging you to come and get your vaccine and testing so that can prevent the spread and further lockdowns,” she said.
Holden said the two-week lockdown would help health staffs to control the spread as people’s movement would be restricted.
She said the authority had been trying its very best to contain the spread since Sept 17.
“Our concern now is to make sure that we can see more people coming for the vaccination at the hospital,” she said.
Holden thanked business houses in the province who were supporting the provincial health authority.
“We need to help each other at this crucial time as lives are not safe and people must take all health measures seriously,” she said.
Acting provincial administrator Stanley Maip said most of the tasks to reduce the spread lay with ward councillors and community leaders. Maip said public gatherings
like funerals, bride price and compensations should stop as the province was experiencing an increase in the number of positive cases daily.
He said people needed to be vaccinated and start applying strict rules starting at village level.