People must take vaccine without hesitation, doctor says

THE Covid-19 vaccine is needed to prevent the health system from crumbling, hence, health workers and people should take the vaccine without hesitation, a doctor says.
Dr Garry Nou from the Covid-19 National Control Centre (NCC) told The National that looking at the community transmission in the country and the capacity of the health system, there was a need for quick vaccine coverage to prevent people getting into the intensive care units in hospitals.
“Even though the percentage of the population that will end up in the hospital is small, we don’t have the capacity to respond,” he said.
“The vaccine prevents people from getting severely ill and dying so it’s better to get it as soon as you can.
“To take the vaccine or not is your choice, but, if you want society to be protected and the health system to get through a really bad Covid-19 surge, you have to take the vaccine.
“It’s your civic responsibility to your neighbour, community and country to get vaccinated. The ‘Niupela Pasin’ and non-pharmaceutical measures of washing hands, wearing masks and physical distancing are paramount to our Covid-19 response, but vaccination is something that will help to prevent the surge and the burden on the health system,” Dr Nou said.
He said there was a lot of fear and apprehension among health workers due to the widespread misinformation which had resulted in a slow rate of vaccination in the National Capital District which was a concern. Dr Nou said health workers were talked to on a personal level to alleviate the fears and progress was being made.
“When the health workers to get the vaccines, a strong message is sent to everyone else that if the health workers are getting it, we should also get it.”
Dr Nou said people above 18 in Papua New Guinea were eligible to take the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.
He said those who had recovered from the Covid-19 would get the vaccine after four weeks from the time they recovered.
Dr Nou said those who received the vaccine would continue to wear masks and take heed of the control measures until such time herd immunity was reached which was 70-80 per cent of the population being vaccinated.
He said there were reports of children getting the Covid-19 and admitted at the health facilities, but there was no vaccine for them, hence, it was important for the adults to get vaccinated.