Close to 80% of teachers in Pader vaccinated against COVID-19

Pader, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Nearly 80 percent of teachers and school support staff in Pader district have already received at least one shot of COVID-19 vaccine.

The Pader district secretary for Health, also the LCV vice Chairperson Justine Ocen says latest estimates indicate that over 78 percent of the total number of teachers in the district have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

According to Ocen, statistics from the health department indicate that out of the total 810 teachers in the district, 638 had by the end of last week been vaccinated against COVID 19, with 192 already having received both the first and second jab.

Ocen says the success, unlike in other districts, is due to a decision made by the district leadership to encourage teachers and school staff to be vaccinated, in adherence to COVID-19 protocols recently issued by the government.

Recently the government issued a mandatory vaccination directive against COVID-19 for all teachers who have been considered among the top priority groups as part of a strategy on expediting the reopening of schools and other learning institutions.

However, some districts have reported a low vaccine uptake by teachers for alleged reasons of mistrust, proliferation of misinformation over the vaccine and concerns by some who allege the ongoing vaccination exercise would be a violation of their privacy and rights.

The Pader Acting District Health Officer Dr. Apio Anna also attributes the massive turn up of teachers for the vaccination exercise to prioritizing teachers and learning institution staff who are accessing the numerous designated centers to administer the exercise.

According to Apio, the health department has designated all major health facilities and health centre III’s in the district to conduct the mass vaccination against coronavirus disease.

Since the outbreak was first reported in the country in March last year, Pader district has recorded 9,719 cumulative tests of the coronavirus disease; 843 registered positive cases, 9 deaths with 198 positive cases currently under the home based care.

*****

URN