Bududa: Health workers shun Covid-19 vaccination

More than 200 health workers in Bududa district have shunned the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination.

The district received 3,520 doses of AstraZeneca Vaccine last week to vaccinate health workers, police officers, teachers, persons aged above 50 and those with underlying medical conditions.

The target was to vaccinate 300 health workers from the vaccination centres at Bulucheke, Bushika, Bukibokolo and Bukalasi, Health Centre III's.

But according to Dr Imelda Tumuhairwe, the Bududa district health Officer, they were able to vaccinate only 145 health workers by close of business yesterday.

She said, however, that she was optimistic that more health workers will come for the vaccine before the start of the vaccination of teachers on Monday.

But Health workers who preferred anonymity told The Nile Post that they are still sceptical about the safety of the vaccine and that they were waiting for the response from those who took the jabs first.

The fears followed reports that several African countries have banned the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, as a precaution, following reports that cases of severe coagulation disorder and blood clotting that have been reported in some countries.

The European Medicines Agency said this week that it's review of the complaints indicated that the benefits of the vaccine in combating the threat of Covid-19 outweigh the side effects.

It added that the vaccine is not associated with an increase in the overall risk of blood clots in those who receive it, and that there is no evidence of problems related to specific batches of the vaccine or to particular manufacturing sites.

George William Wopuwa, the Bududa Resident District Commissioner who is also the chairman the Covid-19 task force in the district, asked the public not to rely on people’s propaganda.