Minister of Civic Education and National Unity Timothy Mtambo has urged people in the country to get the AstraZeneca COVID-19 jab and ignore fake news about the vaccine.
Speaking during COVID-19 daily briefing in Lilongwe yesterday, Mtambo said although there is downward trend in new daily cases, it does not mean that the pandemic is over.
He said people should not relax in following the preventative measures against the pandemic due to this downfall trend.
“Let’s continue observing all rules and regulations the government gazetted in fighting the pandemic. Everyone is encouraged to get the vaccine against COVID-19 so as to win the fight,” said Mtambo.
He added that the government is concerned with the fake news circulating in social media platforms about the dangerous side effects of AstraZeneca vaccine.
“My ministry is not giving up to civic educate people to get the vaccine. We are here to give people the true information of the vaccine and encourage them to get vaccinated so as to win this fight,” he said.
In his comment, one of the country’s mental health experts, Dr Prescious Makiyi, agreed with Mtambo by advising people to pay more attention to right and relevant sources of information so as to be more sure of what is being rumoured and stay free from stresses and anxieties that they may have after or before getting the vaccine.
“I advise people to get information about AstraZeneca vaccine from only right, reliable, relevant and trusted sources of information. You know, we are living in a social media era where everyone can just wake up and start sharing rumours without a basis or foundation,” said Makiyi.
In his words, the chairperson for presidential taskforce on COVID-19, Dr. Wilfred Nkhoma also encouraged people to continue observing the COVID-19 regulations as gazetted by the government and get vaccinated in their nearest health centres in their communities.
Malawi has so far administered 212,615 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. In Europe, some countries suspended the AstraZeneca Vaccine due to reports of blood clots.
