Primary School Teacher attests that the Corona Virus Vaccine is Safe

By Ibrahim Sorie Koroma

This is an experience sharing of how a senior school teacher reacted to the administration of the 1^st dose of corona virus vaccine.

It was a Tuesday Morning at the Benevolent Primary School in Magburaka Town and it was day 9^th (Tuesday 30^th March, 2021) of the just concluded COVID-19 Vaccine Roll-out in Tonkolili District. The Benevolent Primary school is a small school with over 200 pupils and staff strength of 10 teachers.

Though a small school, the teachers looked committed and willing to first of all take actions to prevent the spread of the disease in the school thereby enforcing all the measures, backed with vaccination to save lives.

Upon arrival with the vaccination team at the school, I scanned a man in his late 50s who was so committed and had prepared the stage for vaccination. When the team was preparing to get set for work, the man was already seated fully prepared to take the thin painless needle.  He had a subtle facial expression, calmed and ready to participate.

Before the health worker could ask him of his medical condition, he picked it up and said, yes I am diabetic. This had put me in shock, but I later learnt that he had been educated enough through the radio and had been earlier engaged by health workers, which I see as a plus and a means to achieving the desired goal.

I get to know him as David A. Kamara and a father of 15.  What actually caught the writer’s eye was his commitment and passion to take the vaccine. He even urged and motivated his colleagues to be vaccinated, as the benefits were explained by the health workers.

Two days after he had been vaccinated on Tuesday 30^th March which was day 9^th of the Vaccine roll-out. The team visited David to assess if there were any incidence of adverse drug reaction following immunization (AFI). He was asked if he experienced any strange occurrence in his body. He replied that he did not notice any sign of drug reaction of what so ever and that he actively taught 5 classes the day he took the vaccine in school and was also okay when he returned home.

When asked about his views on the safety of the vaccine, he said with all the education and the political will already exhibited by State authorities, he thinks he should be knowledgeable and confident enough to say that the vaccine is safe and effective.

Besides, he had seen people taking the vaccine and they go about their business just like normal. “I took the first dose, I did not feel any effects and I am okay just like I was before taking the vaccine,” Kamara added.

Kamara was given 1 dose of Oxford Astra-Zeneca Covid-19 vaccine because of his health condition and would receive his second dose on 25^th May this year.

As the first phase of COVID-19 vaccine roll-out elapsed on 31^st March, statistics have shown huge compliance among the target beneficiaries’ nationwide (healthcare workers, lecturers, police, military and correctional service and immigration officers and the aged). Tonkolili District for example, has recorded over a thousand vaccinations, a figure which could rise with mopping-up exercise already in place.