World Immunisation Week is marked every year in the last week of April. It aims to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease
OLD age homes in KwaZulu-Natal say their residents are looking forward to being vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus.
The vaccination rollout for phase 2 – for those over the age of 60 – is expected to start in May.
Dave Naidoo, the chairperson of the Aryan Benevolent Home in Pietermaritzburg, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary on May 1, said they spoke to their residents about the vaccination rollout.
“They are open to the suggestion of taking the vaccination.
“I think the fact that we suffered the tragic loss of 13 residents to Covid-19 last year, made them realise that they need to be protected and avoid being
IN RECENT times, nothing has impacted the livelihoods of families globally like the Covid-19 pandemic.
There has been great efforts and recommendations of what people could and could not do to reduce the transmission of the virus. Prevention was our initial target, then there was a protection focus that included masks and sanitation, and good practices.
Then there were treatments on what should be done when one contracted Covid. Those included a range of medical treatments, oxygen and hospitalisations. But as a society, we are now at that point where we ask ourselves, what else can we do? What else should we do?
The current leading opportunity to protect ourselves and our communities is to vaccinate.
To vaccinate or not?
There are differing views on whether to vaccinate or not. But if you don't vaccinate, what are the alternatives? What are our opportunities to improve the world towards what is commonly called herd immunity - to reduce the severity of infections and potentially reduce the transmission of the infections?
Let's reflect on how vaccinations have been implemented globally:
Data sourced internationally suggests the world has administered more than 860 million vaccines: the US more than 198 million vaccines, China more than 183 million vaccines, India more than 117 million vaccines, and the UK with 14 million vaccines.
Africa has only administered more than 14 million vaccines.
South Africa, considered one of the leading economies and one of the most developed countries on the African continent, has only administered more than 292 000 vaccines to date.
There have been a lot of concerns around supply and around variants on its own.
There are various concerns about the efficacy of the AstraZeneca vaccine from India. With the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, the initial concern was with people who had blood-clot-related problems in the US and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) then raised concerns. African governments, including South Africa, also initially raised concerns.
Risks
People have said these vaccines have been developed at an accelerated pace. We don't know all the risks yet. For example, in South Africa, with the Johnson and Johnson vaccine roll-out, although administration of the vaccine was initially to front-line and health care workers, it was also part of a phase three study and a clinical trial.
So while we were receiving a vaccine, we were also participating in a clinical trial to prove the efficacy of the vaccine itself.
Although the data says it reduces the risk of significant and serious infections and complications of Covid-19 by more than 80%, even if it reduced by a minimal percentage, I would have taken it, and I did.
At least I have an improved chance of reducing the risk of the severe disease and the risk of mortality. Some have taken the vaccine and others may choose not to take it but we all are a part of a broader health-care ecosystem.
Facts
According to the South African government, vaccination programmes create what is called herd immunity. I think this is where the misnomer has been created.
We are not creating immunity. We are reducing infection and reducing the seriousness of the infection, and then potentially considering reducing transmissibility.
But I don't believe at this stage the vaccine itself will infer or create any immunity.
The reality is, this is a virus and it is mutating, as we have already seen with the various strains identified in South Africa and internationally.
When people take the vaccine they need to be aware that it does not create immunity. It does not mean they will not get Covid-19.
It reduces your seriousness and symptoms because your body is pre-exposed to a vaccine that allows you to anticipate a potential exposure to the Covid infection.
If you have some measure of increased response to it, you can still put everyone that you potentially could come in contact with at risk because there's a high likelihood, according to the data we have, that you may still acquire the infection and transmit it. This is even though you may be asymptomatic after the vaccine.
The unknowing infectors
There are a number of individuals who may have the virus and not be aware of it.
So please be mindful that the vaccine will not translate to immunity. It will translate to improved immune response.
You need to consider it almost in the context of taking the annual flu vaccine - it’s pre-emptive action that gets our body ready to reduce seriousness and mortality, but does not reduce transmissibility and infection, at least at this stage.
Range of vaccines/solutions
There are in excess of 272 vaccines in development - 88 are already in clinical development and clinical stages of the trials and 184 are in the preclinical phase.
There are already solutions that focus on subcutaneous vaccines, intradermal
Vaccine side effects
There are concerns of the side effects of the vaccination, for example, the blood clots or the six cases identified and mentioned by the FDA in the US.
When my father was in an ICU as well as other patients that we were treating in April last year, I had already seen data and imaging from respected cardiologists in Pretoria.
It showed that the Covid-19 infection created a spontaneous accelerated clotting environment within those patients who were exposed.
This means these patients were otherwise considered healthy before the Covid-19 infection, and after they acquired the infection, there was accelerated multiple clots found in their bodies.
And to a large extent, regrettably, this was a massive contributor to their mortality during their treatment process.
But, in my view, the benefits still outweigh the limited risks of taking the vaccine. If female patients take contraceptive treatments, based on the current data, their risk of getting clots is almost 10 times higher versus taking the Covid vaccine.
Responsible choices
We do have a choice and we should exercise that choice with responsibility not just to ourselves but our communities and families when deciding to take the vaccine.
When you take the vaccine, and we return to some level of normalcy, we still need to follow the protocols.
I took the vaccine and I still wear my mask and I'm still paranoid about limiting my travels and contact.
I sanitise regularly and insist others do the same.
The new normal will involve heightened awareness that we could transmit various infections to anyone at any time.
We need to be aware of the side effects and the concerns of some of the vaccines that are being administered at an accelerated pace, but also ask ourselves, what is the logical and reasonable alternative?