Believers of the Catholic faith in Ghana have been encouraged to avail themselves to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.
The Church through a statement by the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference said it is imperative for all its consecrated members, including priests, to take the jab in the ongoing national vaccination exercise.
It also extended the appeal to other members of the Christian fraternity and larger Ghanaian society.
“With the arrival of the first consignment of 600,000 vaccines in our country and more expected later, we wish to encourage our priests, consecrated men and women and all Christ’s faithful, and indeed every Ghanaian, to avail themselves of the opportunity to be vaccinated,” the statement said.
The Bishops sermonized that vaccination is an act of good neighbourliness, which is a mark of good Christian principles.
“When one accepts the vaccine, one does not only protect oneself from getting the disease but one protects others too by stopping transmission,” the statement signed by Most. Rev. Phlip Naameh, President of the Bishop Conference, further advised.
Myths
While underscoring the importance of the vaccines in the country’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic, the Church took the opportunity to dispel some myths that have characterised the vaccine roll-out.
It said claims that the vaccines will potentially kill, infect, change human DNA, make one infertile and that it was a sign of the beast are completely false, adding that “there is no truth about this assertion because there is nothing demonic about the vaccine(s)”.
The release from the Catholic Church comes as one of the many advocacies to boost public confidence about the safety and efficacy of the vaccines, particularly among the religious community.
“We should, therefore, see the arrival of the vaccine(s) as an answer to our prayer and avail ourselves of the opportunity to be vaccinated. It is our fervent prayer and hope that many of you will avail yourselves for this exercise since we cannot coerce anybody to do so,” the Catholic Bishops concluded.
