Stay positive. Take the COVID-19 vaccine and it is free!

That’s the advice from Jiten Prasad – a frontline Fiji Link officer at the Labasa Airport, who received the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine jab on Saturday, March 13.

Mr Prasad shared his experience of taking the jab to correct someone who had “misinterpreted” his Facebook post at the weekend.

The 46-year-old father was vaccinated at the airport at around 3pm.

“I would like to tell everyone that it is good to be vaccinated, regardless of the side effects. It’s safe,” he said.

“Everything was fine until 11pm on the same day. I started having a headache. And it lasted until Sunday 5pm.

Yesterday, he said he was feeling healthy and ready to resume work.

“Some of the common side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine may include, tenderness, swelling or redness at the injection area, headache, muscle ache, tiredness and fever,” Mr Prasad said.

“People must follow the advice given by the ministry. For example, a few years ago tablets given for Lymphatic Filariasis had side effects as well. Similarly, with the fight against COVID-19, there will be side-effects.”

Mr Prasad is the traffic supervisor at the airport and meets customers daily.

In an earlier statement by the Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services, Dr James Fong, he said people experiencing minor side effects was a sign that the vaccine was doing its work.

He also said most of these side effects would be mild and eventually dissipate.

Edited by Naisa Koroi

Feedback: renu.prasad@fijisun.com.fj