COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy, Myths and Misinformation

Earlier this year, we asked our colleagues whether they would get vaccinated against COVID-19.  Almost 7 out of 10 said that they would get the vaccine once it becomes available. The remaining three were either unsure or will definitely not get vaccinated.  

Unfortunately, our survey results are better than those conducted by private agencies with respondents across the country.  One survey showed that 61% of their subjects would say no to the vaccines, another 23% were uncertain, and only 16% were willing to get inoculated if the vaccines were available at the time of the survey.  The other study had better results, with 32% of their informants willing to receive the vaccine, while 35% were uncertain, and 33% were unwilling. 

Image from www.who.int

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Not surprisingly, the reasons given by those unwilling and uncertain participants of our survey were almost the same as those of the other surveys. Both sets of respondents were worried about the safety of the vaccines that they might get sick of COVID-19, and the vaccine would not help them.  

It does not help that so much information, both right and wrong is readily available on social media and other online sites.  Health experts are worried about the amount of misinformation that they even called an "infodemic."

image from www.who.int

Much of the misinformation focus on the vaccine's safety.  Most people are concerned that the laboratories rushed the development of the vaccine and that they did not go through all the required steps.  Authorities with John Hopkins Medicine assure that the developers of the COVID-19 vaccines did not rush on testing for safety and efficacy, and they used processes that have been developed and tested over many years.  These procedures are really to develop — and thoroughly test — vaccines quickly in an infectious disease pandemic like COVID-19.

My favorite myth is that the vaccine carries a microchip that can detect and track the recipient.  When switched on, the chip could alter the person's DNA and turn him into a zombie.  Well, sorry, but no, the vaccine will not turn anybody into a zombie.  WHO explains that the mRNA used in some vaccines only has instructions to produce a protein, and then our natural immune system responds to it.  The mRNA can't turn into DNA, nor can it change the DNA of human cells.  That means there won't be any zombie apocalypse because of the vaccine.

image from www.who.int

You will not get COVID-19 from the vaccines since they do not contain live coronavirus. John Hopkins Medicine further explains that you might experience a sore arm after the shots, a mild fever, or body aches, but this doesn’t mean you have COVID-19. These symptoms are temporary, usually lasting only a day or two if you get them. These are signals of a natural response as our body’s immune system learns to recognize and fight the coronavirus.

The other fallacies that continue to circulate are the vaccine could cause infertility among women, and that those who had previous COVID-19 infections do not need to get vaccinated.

image from hopkinsmedicine.org

Of course, the vaccines themselves will not put an end to the pandemic.  We must all go out and get our shots.  Doing so will not only protect us but also our loved ones and our community as a whole.  Even when we get our vaccines, the Department of Health advises that we continue observing the minimum health standards, such as frequently washing our hands, wearing face masks, and going outside our homes only when necessary.

COVID 19: Things You Can Do While in Quarantine

You probably know by now that the Expanded Community Quarantine (ECQ) imposed by the government has been extended again up to May 15.  The quarantine covered the entire island of Luzon, including the capital region of the country, to prevent the coronavirus or COVID-19 from spreading.  When it was first implemented, the ECQ was supposed to end after a month.  Since the number of infected persons continued to rise, the government extended it up to the end of April. 

Just two days ago, the government decided to further extend the ECQ to up to May 15 but only in certain areas where the infection remains high.  Unfortunately, the National Capital Region remains under strict quarantine.  That means we still have 20 days before us.  

I've been working from home since the start of the ECQ, and that kept me entirely occupied in the last 39 days.  If you have been spending the past five weeks just binge-watching on Netflix, then you must be screaming by now to get out of the house.  Relax, there are other things you can do in the next three weeks.  

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Try decluttering your closet.  I spent the weekends during the quarantine going over my clothes.  Since I didn't go out much, my clothes remained hanging in the closet, and I realized that there were a lot of them.  I tried Marie Kondo's spark of joy method during the first pass, and I ended up with fewer clothes. However, my clothes were still packed tightly, and I next used Joshua Becker's suggestion to ask myself, "Do I really need this?" Some shirts and pants didn't pass the test and went to the 'donate' box. I am still working on this, and I will do my shoes next.

Remember how we keep on putting off reading our books because we do not have enough time?  Well, the next three weeks give you enough time to read at least one good book.  I have already read some books in between doing my work. You can even start blogging about them after reading.

You can also start or go back to your hobby.  When prices of vegetables went up a few days after the start of the quarantine period, I told the people in the house that we will use the empty pots in the garden to plant our own vegetables.  The Department of Agriculture is giving out seeds for those who want to start a vegetable garden in their yard.  We haven't done it yet, but with two extra weeks, I think we can begin to become urban farmers.  Some people even started crocheting tiny couches for their cats!

The President said that the best time to lift the ECQ is when a vaccine is already available.  There are about 70 teams around the world working on developing a vaccine.  If all things go well, we may have a vaccine by December this year.  However, if something goes wrong, it will take up to the second half of 2021 before we have something to fight the virus.  In the meantime, relax and let us all be safe and stay at home,

COVID-19: Be Ready

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted almost the entire world.  It can affect anyone of us at any time.  While we should continue with our daily life, how does one prepare for the day under these medical circumstances?  I found this very helpful poster from the United Nations site and I wish to share it with you.  I hope you could find it helpful.

Be safe everyone.  Always wash your hands and as much as possible, #STAYATHOME.

un.org

COVID 19: What We Need to Know

photo: CDC

As my contribution to the fight against COVID-19, beginning with this post I will share information about the disease. To avoid spreading wrong information, I will directly quote my sources which may include the WHO, the Department of Health, the CDC and other reliable sources.  The information may be already available online but I believe in casting the net a little farther to reach more people.  

Let's begin by knowing what COVID-19 is.  According to the World Health Organization (WHO), COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus which was unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.  

So far, the WHO believes that people can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales. These droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. People can also catch COVID-19 if they breathe in droplets from a person with COVID-19 who coughs out or exhales droplets. This is why it is important to stay more than 1 meter (3 feet) away from a person who is sick.

The WHO points out that the most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don't feel unwell. Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment. Around 1 out of every 6 people who get COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness. People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention.

The video below gives a better understanding of COVID-19 and how you can protect yourself and your love ones from the disease.