Confronting and jabbing down vaccine hesitancy

The three doses of the vaccine against COVID-19 work – to save people from severe disease and death, say these four Respiratory Physicians, fervently urging people to “go take the third dose” because in those who took their second dose in August last year (2021), there would be a drop in the immune response against Omicron.

“We may see a big rise in infection numbers by March-April,” they warn, telling people to take the third dose.

Looking at why there is a lag or hesitancy in taking the third dose, Dr. Eshanth Perera says that some had a few after-effects such as a little fever and body pain from the first and second dose. Now they are concerned that these after-effects will increase with the third dose, after listening to unreliable sources.

“No such thing has happened,” says Dr. Geethal Perera, citing the over 150,000 health

care workers who have taken the three doses.

He cautions those who post bogus stuff on Facebook, not to do so as it goes against social responsibility, while Dr. Eshanth Perera adds that the healthcare workers were a ‘classic representative sample’ of Sri Lankan society – from all strata, from the different age groups and with different disease patterns that can be seen in society.

Pointing out that nothing has

happened to any health worker after the vaccine, he looks beyond Sri Lanka’s shores and says that now Israel is even administering the fourth dose.

Another red alert comes from these Specialists – if the virus keeps circulating in the community, there can be another more dangerous mutant which could cause a huge wave of infections, leaving a trail of severe disease and death. So get vaccinated as both a personal and social responsibility.