MALADY OR MALAISE?

On the surface, something may appear to be true especially when people speak about it with such conviction — as if they know everything.

It can be about a person, place, situation or thing. Some of us are too quick to judge, we forget to ask more questions. Worse, we fail to listen. Sometimes, however, such certainty stems from prejudice or hypocrisy rather than a real understanding based on facts. At times, pride and ego jump into the mix of human idiocy. A quick glimpse of this came in the form of a television program in which the hosts interviewed medical experts about the Covid-19 vaccines. After about an hour of discussion, viewer questions and comments poured in, and many harped about the same opinions over and over again, as if they were either not comprehending the facts or they refused to accept them.

The question on the coronavirus vaccines basically revolves around two things: Safety and efficacy. Because these products are a first in the world and so quickly developed, people doubt their safety especially in the long-term. Also, how effective are they, really, when it comes to protecting one from the dreaded virus?

The World Health Organization (WHO) in 2020 republished a list of common misconceptions about vaccines and immunization in general, originally written by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States.

Among the questions is: Can vaccines cause the disease?

The answer: “This is another argument frequently found in anti-vaccine literature, the implication being that this proves that vaccines are not effective. In fact it is true that in an outbreak those who have been vaccinated often outnumber those who have not — even with vaccines such as measles, which we know to be about 98 percent effective when used as recommended.

“This apparent paradox is explained by two factors. First, no vaccine is 100 percent effective. To make vaccines safer than the disease, the bacteria or virus is killed or weakened (attenuated). For reasons related to the individual, not all vaccinated persons develop immunity.” There are other misconceptions floating around specifically about Covid-19 vaccines, mainly based on manufacturer or country of origin. The China-made Sinovac had gotten the most flak, with people focusing on its low rate of efficacy at just over 50 percent.

(Also, many confuse Sinovac with Sinopharm, which was allegedly what got smuggled in, according to the Food and Drug Administration.) It was explained recently that the low efficacy rate was seen in subjects tested in Brazil who were healthcare workers or those with higher exposure to the virus. However, a higher rate of efficacy was seen in subjects with less exposure. Another misconception breaking out is about the Duterte government being “desperate” to procure vaccines for the Filipino population. It sounds a bit shocking, but yes, it stems from a Department of

Labor and Employment proposal for lifting the cap of 5,000 yearly deployment of nurses, so that more could be sent to the United Kingdom and Germany in exchange for vaccines “which could be used to inoculate outbound workers and Filipino repatriates.”

Malacañang clarified this by saying that although government has already ordered enough Covid-19 vaccines for the people, “more is better than less.” Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said government has ordered “90 million (doses).” Earlier reports say government needs 148 million doses to inoculate enough for herd immunity. Some 600,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines donated by China to the Philippines are expected to arrive soon. At this point, as the immunity drive revs up, we must keep ourselves from being immune to the facts.

“China-made Sinovac had gotten the most flak, with people focusing on its low rate of efficacy at just over 50 percent.

“The question on the coronavirus vaccines basically revolves around two things: Safety and efficacy.