NACI's vaccine message adds 'another level of confusion' for Ghanaians, community leader says

Weeks-long work encouraging Ghanaians living in Toronto to get vaccinated against COVID-19  was dealt a blow by a recent change in messaging from a national committee of experts, a community leader said Wednesday.

While Canadians have been told for weeks to get the first COVID-19 vaccine they're offered, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recently described Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines as "preferred" over the AstraZeneca vaccine.

NACI added that Canadians should weigh the risks of waiting to get the BioNTech or the Moderna versions.

Emmanuel Duodu, president of the Ghanaian Canadian Association of Ontario, said it's a setback to his group's work to dispel misinformation about the various COVID-19 vaccines.

"When we heard that information from NACI, that is another level of confusion, which we have to find a way to try to clear up in our community," Duodu told CBC News.

[We have] been telling community members why they should take the vaccine. We did that, because we wanted to demystify some of the conspiracy theories about vaccination."

Duodu is just one of many community leaders and health-care experts who are frustrated by the change in messaging by NACI. The committee said Canadians who are less likely to contract COVID-19 may want to wait until a shot from Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna is available because those products don't carry the same risk of very rare, but serious, blood clots as the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Some experts said that message will lead to more hesitancy and more vaccine shopping, ultimately undercutting the drive to get as many Canadians as possible immunized in the shortest possible time. 

On Wednesday, Duodu's association hosted a pop-up vaccination clinic at one of their Etobicoke churches.

Around 1,000 community members lined up a week after the association hosted a similar event where around 800 people were inoculated.

Duodu said the association has been hosting workshops and webinars since the pandemic began to share information about the novel coronavirus.

He said similar sessions were held as soon COVID-19 vaccines became available.

"We are not compelling or forcing anyone to take the vaccination, but we wanted to make sure they have all the data they need to make the right, informed decision," Duodu said.

Ghanaian community hit hard by COVID-19

Duodu said the Ghanaian Canadian Association of Ontario has more than 45,000 members in Toronto alone.

He said about 15 members died after contracting COVID-19, while countless others were hospitalized.

"We've lost a lot of people in our community through COVID ... so that is why it's very important for us to engage our community to stem the deaths and hospitalizations," Duodo said. 

"So, part of what we are doing is to make sure that we can avoid and prevent more deaths in our community, more sickness in our community, that's why we're doing this."

'We have seen the deaths'

Charles Anokye-Manu, lead pastor of Apostles Continuation Church where the clinic was held, said given the relationship between the church and the community, members were more comfortable getting the vaccine there.

"As a community-based church we are serving the community," he said.

"We have seen the deaths and the numbers risen, so we all need [the vaccine]."

Anokye-Manu said faith leaders have to champion the cause to motivate and encourage more people to take the vaccine.

"As a pastor, many people are looking up to me as a role model and their leader," he said. 

"It should be leadership by example; if I take the vaccine people will take the vaccine. I took mine, I took a picture and put it on our platform and Facebook and many were rushing to come and take it." 

'Community leadership has to be central'

Dr. Andrew Boozary, the executive director of social medicine at Toronto's University Health Network, said community leaders have an important role to play in building trust.

He said settings like Wednesday's pop-up clinic are "most crucial." 

"I believe that when we discussed the vaccine effort moving at the speed of trust, that it's community leaders, community organizations, people that have long-standing relationships where people trust them," Boozary told CBC News. 

"They have had a history, they have that ability to work through challenges and know that community organizations, community leaders have always had their backs.

"So really, if we're going to see efforts that are moving the vaccine into different neighbourhoods, the hardest-hit neighbourhoods, community leadership has to be central," Boozary added.

Boozary said even before vaccines were available, there was an incredible amount of groundwork by community members, ambassadors and leaders to dispel issues around misinformation.

Felicia Botchway, one of more than 40 volunteers at the pop-up clinic, said she has been working to make sure  Ghanaian seniors are taken care of in the community.

"Since the beginning of COVID we've been helping distribute food to the seniors, we're giving them masks and sanitizers and everything that they need to make them comfortable during this COVID," she said.

Richmond Antwi said he previously received his vaccine shot, but Wednesday he brought his mother-in-law so that she could get hers.

"I'm so happy that our community is getting the shot and it's such a good feeling to see a lot of people … that have gotten their shot," Antwi said.

"I'm really happy because my Ghanaian community in Toronto is doing such an amazing job."

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.