Fact Check: FDA says AstraZeneca vaccine is safe with no side effects recorded in Ghana
There were earlier claims that the Astrazeneca vaccine that is being administered had issues with it.
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Fourteen European countries have reportedly suspended the use of the shots altogether because of some incidents of dangerous side effects.
According to certain people and the countries that have suspended the use of the vaccine, they were pausing the rollout following reports of blood clots in some recipients.
The Food and Drugs Authority has assured the Ghanaian public that the AstraZeneca vaccines are safe.
Source: Original
According to the Authority, despite the little side effects like headache, slight weakness, and rise in temperature, no serious side effects have been recorded in Ghana yet.
In a statement sighted by YEN.com.gh, on February 26, 2021, the FDA constituted a Committee of Experts to assess all reported adverse events and make recommendations on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.
It was discussed that the reports received since vaccinations started are mostly headaches, fever, chills, body pains, pain at the injection site, weakness, nausea, and dizziness.
These adverse events are expected from the vaccination and in most cases, resolved within a day or two.
The FDA said there is currently no causal link between the issue of blood clots as a result of the vaccine in Ghana.
The authority has however, reassured the general public that it is closely monitoring the situation in Ghana, and to date, no events of blood clots have been linked to the Covishield vaccine.
Eventhough vaccines in general have their side effects, the medicines tend to have some side effects and this needs to be continually balanced against the expected benefits in preventing illnesses.
Meanwhile, Government is considering imposing sanctions on Ghanaians who will refuse to take the COVID-19 vaccine, Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, disclosed.
Ghana on February 22, 2021, took delivery of 600,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine under the United Nation-led COVAX facility.
Three hundred thousand people have so far been vaccinated from the deadly virus since the commencement of mass vaccination on March 2, 2021.
“A lot of people are volunteering or stepping up to it. So we have not had a need as of now to introduce sanctions,” the Information Minister stated during a news conference on Monday.
But, should it become necessary that sanctions are introduced to compel people to take the COVID-19 vaccine, “we will advise accordingly,” Oppong Nkrumah stated.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
