Pregnancy scare prevents women from taking COVID jab in Ho

The Volta Regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has initiated a mass vaccination exercise for COVID-19 in that part of the country.

The directorate is targeting 53,134 people during the exercise, which began on Wednesday, 19 July 2023, and is scheduled to end on Sunday, 23 July 2023.

It is intended for people who missed out on the previous mass vaccination campaign in the region and have yet to be vaccinated.

However, some residents have decided to stay away from the vaccine due to certain misconceptions and myths surrounding it.

One female resident, who spoke to Class 91.3 FM’s Volta Regional correspondent Kingsley Attitsogbui, disclosed her reasons for not wanting to get vaccinated.

Her main concern is the belief that the vaccine can lead to pregnancy. She stated, “God has been faithful, keeping us safe even during the pandemic in 2020 when we were not infected. So, why should I get vaccinated now? That is my first reason. The second reason is that I heard from one of the nurses that she and her colleagues got pregnant after receiving the vaccine, and I am not ready for an additional child.”

The woman, who has already had six children and underwent four Caesarian sections, expressed her apprehension about getting pregnant again. Her doctor informed her that she is very fertile and can easily conceive, which is why she does not want to risk it by getting vaccinated.

On the other hand, another woman who received the vaccine during the early days of the mass vaccination campaign encouraged residents to get vaccinated. She decided to get vaccinated due to the high death rate from COVID-19. Since getting vaccinated, she has had no regrets and urges the residents of Ho who are yet to be vaccinated to come forward and take the vaccine to protect themselves against COVID-19