KINGSTON, Jamaica — Director of Family Health Services in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Dr Melody Ennis, is dismissing assertions that the AstraZeneca coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine has a negative effect on the fertility of men.

She said there is no evidence that the vaccine affects the erectile function of men or reduces sperm count.

Dr Ennis, who was addressing a virtual media sensitisation session on Tuesday, pointed out that no negative effects on male fertility were noted among the thousands of persons who were studied during the vaccine trials.

As it relates to women taking the vaccine during pregnancy, she said “the recommendation is that the risk of taking the vaccine is much lower than the risk of getting COVID among that population”.

She noted that the adverse effects of not taking the vaccine during pregnancy are “very severe”, adding that when pregnant women get COVID-19 they “do much worse and tend to have premature babies, and they may die”.

The Director of Family Health Services is also reminding persons who are ill not to take the COVID-19 vaccine until they are fully recovered, because it will complicate their pre-existing condition.

She noted that persons have been masking their ill health with medications to get the vaccine because they want to travel.

“If you are sick, you are not to get the vaccine and we need to be honest with ourselves,” she said.

Dr Ennis advised that persons who have contracted the COVID-19 virus and have recovered and are no longer showing signs and symptoms can take the vaccine.

Those who have tested positive and are asymptomatic can be vaccinated after they have completed the 14-day quarantine period.

Responding to questions regarding persons becoming ill after taking the vaccine, Dr Ennis said that none of those patients have ascribed their hospitalisation to the vaccine, noting that the speculation has only emanated from discussions in the public arena.

— JIS