Mayor takes COVID vaccine despite initial scepticism

Mayor of May Pen Winston Maragh, who came under scrutiny following COVID vaccine comments he made at an event in Chapelton last December, received his first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine last Wednesday.

Maragh, 64, got his jab at the vaccination unit at the May Pen Hospital. He told THE STAR that he decided to take do it having conducted his research.

"I didn't say I wasn't going to take it you know. I said I was watching the larger countries. So I studied the figures and from what I'm hearing, out of every two million people who took the vaccine they only have about 10 to 15 allergic reaction which is very minimal, " he said.

Flu-like symptoms

The mayor shared that he experienced flu-like symptoms and shoulder pains after he took the vaccine, but said he was "back to normal within a few days." He added that he took Panadol to off-set any possible immediate side effects of the jab.

"My friend didn't take any Panadol and he was home for two days. I said 'Unuh a young bwoy and look pan me'. Him is half my age and him take a little vaccine and deh home for two days and in one hour time I was back at work," he joked.

According to Maragh, the COVID-19 pandemic underscores the need for greater precautions and better hygiene practices to stem virus transmission.

"I sneezed to test how far that body fluid would go and that was about 10 feet. It means therefore that over the years, we have been ingesting even strangers' saliva. You walk on the streets and a man cough, breeze blow and you're sick. So people need to look at these things and take better precautions," he said.

The mayor said he would advise everyone to take their jabs and added that he is looking forward to his second dose.