PRIME Minister Manasseh (PM) Sogavare has assured the nation about the effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccines.
Speaking in his nationwide address, Monday, PM Sogavare said the recent research indicates that Covid-19 Vaccine can protect the vaccinated person from contracting the virus.
“If the vaccinated person does contract the virus, the vaccine will reduce the impact of the COVID-19 infection. In addition, the vaccinated person is unlikely to transmit the virus to others because the virus load will be too low to cause any infection on other people.
“Clear examples can be seen in countries such as the United Kingdom whose daily rate of infection dropped from a high of 68,053 new cases on 8 January 2021, to an average of 5,500 new cases a day, only 3 months into their vaccination rollout program.”
Referring to the vaccines side effects, PM said every vaccine ever made and in current use today have side-effects.
“The AstraZeneca vaccine has been reported to cause mild side effects that are no different to other injectable medicines or other vaccines.
However, he said none of the severe side effects that have been reported after the AstraZeneca vaccination are directly caused by the vaccine.
“In fact we know that alcohol and smoking have more serious and long-term side effects.
“Fellow Solomon Islanders, to demonstrate my confidence on the AstraZeneca vaccine, I will be among the first to receive ‘vaccine shot’ after the official launch on Wednesday morning this week,” he said.
PM said many other leaders have also decided to take the vaccine after the formal launch. Please join us and take the vaccine when your turn comes.
He said if we wait for community transmission to occur before we start vaccinating – it will already be too late for us.
“Community transmission of COVID-19 is like an uncontrollable bushfire. Once a bushfire starts burning, it will be extremely difficult to put it out. After it is put out, it is even more costly to recover from it.”
Thus, he said the best way to not let the ‘COVID-19 community transmission bushfire’ start, is to vaccinate against it.
By FOLLET JOHN
Newsroom, Honiara
