By Prince J Musa in Kenema
An extensive vaccination of secondary school and university students in Kenema against Covid-19 ends this Friday 11 February 2022. Students of secondary schools and those at the Eastern Technical University (ETU) were targeted for the inoculation.
According to the District Medical Officer Dr. Donald Samuel Grant, young people from 12 to 17 years have been included after the previous official arrangement of starting vaccination from 18 years. The Pfizer vaccine was administered during the exercise.
Dr. Grant said the District Health Management Team (DHMT) was appreciative of the support by officials in the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education and the cooperation of teachers and the parents of the students, acknowledging the influence teachers have over their pupils. He also commended their partners for supporting the DHMT in the vaccination process in all the chiefdoms in Kenema district. He said the exercise did not only target schools in the urban settlements but also those in rural areas.
In his statement, the Public Relations Officer ETU Augustine Amara Kanneh said the college administration embraced the inoculation which he said is in line with the government’s pro-vaccination policy.
‘’We have communicated with our lecturers to enforce the policy that any student that does not produce his or her Covid card should not be allowed in the lecture room”, he stressed.
A student Gloria Scotland said the vaccine will help protect her colleagues and others on the campus. As it will help to protect themselves and others.
She encouraged students not to trivialize the issue of taking the vaccine.
The Vice-Principal of Luke Commercial Secondary School Lamin Koroma said the vaccination turnout was quite positive for which he gave credit to the authorities in the institutions.
He maintained that most of the pupils in their school have been vaccinated and attributed the compliance to the engagement they had with them. He said the initial fear about the drugs has dissipated and affirmed the commitment of the school administration to always support government policy in terms of education and health.
Koroma described the vaccination to be important as it will help prevent contracting of the virus and curtail other diseases.
He said two-thirds of the teachers have taken their first two doses of the vaccine and called on other schools to emulate similar steps.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (11/02/22)
