Former President John Mahama has joined calls for Ghanaians to dismiss the rumours about the Covid-19 vaccines and avail themselves to get vaccinated.

Speaking to JoyNews after taking his first jab with wife Lordina, he explained that in the country’s history, vaccines have gone a long way to protect people, especially children.

He stated that Ghanaians and African should be less hesitant about taking the vaccines adding many people took them while they were young.

“It is due to vaccines that today our children don’t get mumps, yaws and measles, smallpox and polio and all those sicknesses. So vaccines are somethings that are useful to preserve our health and so I think that people should discard all these rumours about the vaccine and take it.”

Mr Mahama said he took the vaccine in public to encourage and assure people that the vaccine is safe and there is no worry about getting vaccinated.

Sharing his experience after taking the vaccine Mr Mahama said he did not feel any pain adding it is like taking any vaccine growing up.

“For those of us who travel we know that we take the yellow fever vaccine every 10 years, and so it is something that we are used to. This one I could hardly feel any pain so it is safe, it is not painful and everybody should take advantage of it," he added.

On Wednesday, February 24, the government took delivery of 600,000 AstraZeneca dose as part of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) global vaccine-sharing program. 

In a televised event to boost people's confidence in the vaccine, President Akufo-Addo together with the First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo on Monday received the first dose at the 37 Military Hospital.

Vice President Dr Bawumia and Second Lady Samira Bawumia also took their jabs next at the Police Hospital.