Get vaccinated now: Parkop

By LULU MARK
NOW that the new Coronavirus (Covid-19) variant Omicron has been detected in Australia, people need to vaccinate as soon as they can, National Capital District (NCD) Governor Powes Parkop says.
Parkop said this during the Moresby North-West region church leaders awareness on the Covid-19 vaccine at the Rainbow Seventh-day Adventist church this week.
Awareness was also conducted at the Elevala United church, and today, the programme would be held for Moresby North-West district at the 4-Mile Catholic chancery and Moresby South at the St Francis Anglican church at Koki.
The awareness is a partnership between the Papua New Guinea Council of Churches (PNGCC) and NCD Commission.
Parkop said the Delta variant had hit PNG hard in the last surge and there would be more variants so it was sensible to be vaccinated to have some level and sense of protection.
He said the vaccination rate in PNG was very low despite having enough doses of the vaccine free and available.
“In terms of the vaccination, we are 11th from the bottom out of the 195 countries of the world (184th),” he said.
“Other countries in the bottom include some African countries and the Middle East that are experiencing war and conflicts.
“In PNG, misinformation is the major cause of the low rate of vaccination.
“Through the information shared on social media and word of mouth in the community, fear and doubt have been instilled in the people and they are judgmental about the vaccine.
“Maybe the Government is at fault, has not done enough to take the Covid-19 awareness into the communities, but we are doing that now through this partnership.
“People have been poisoned with fear and doubt. The people’s mindset needs to be changed. We just need to convince our people that vaccines are safe.”
Parkop said the church and Government had work together in addressing many health issues.