THE VIEW FROM RIZAL
Tomorrow marks the start of the national government’s efforts to further speed up vaccination of a greater number of our countrymen against the deadly COVID-19 virus.
We express our fullest support to the implementation of the National Vaccination Days which end on Wednesday, Dec. 1.
We join the call to those who have not yet received their first and second doses to go to the nearest vaccination centers and get the jab.
These National Vaccination Days remind us of how blessed we are. Consider the following.
First, the anti-COVID-19 vaccines in the country are in abundance, available and accessible.
This situation was beyond our wildest dreams less than a year ago. We had no idea when a vaccine would be developed, and we wondered if such a vaccine would ever be available to us and if we could afford them.
Today, we have them – in different brands. And, we are getting them “free,” courtesy of the national government.
Second, a good number of our countrymen have already received their first dose, and others have completed the vaccination process. We have started vaccination for our children. Our health front-liners and qualified senior citizens are getting their booster shots.
This means we have a good system for administering the vaccination process at the local government levels. The system is working and has contributed much to the lowering of the infection rate and the number of new cases. Last week, the average number of new cases per day stayed at below one thousand.
Third, we know that the vaccine is working. We know it is safe.
It has kept people from dying from severe COVID-19 infections. True, no vaccine has provided a 100 percent guarantee that one would not get infected. However, there are already medical data which suggest that those who are vaccinated would be less likely to suffer from severe symptoms of the virus infection. We also know for a fact that the greater number people in hospital intensive care units are those who have not received the vaccine.
It looks like at time point, there are fewer reasons not to get the vaccine.
Some of those who continue to refuse to be vaccinated say there are religious reasons for the hesitancy.
Others say they fear the side effect of the vaccine.
Well, no one claimed there would be no side effects: Pain in the arm, headaches, the occasional diseases, increased blood pressure, flu-like symptoms and even fever.
Here’s an important fact: Medical experts say those “side effects are caused by the desired immune response.” In other words, the “side effects” part of the indication that the vaccine is working.
According to the study done by the University of Kent Institute of Biosciences, “most of the reported side effects to the vaccine in trial are caused by the immune system response.” “Such post vaccination symptoms do not indicate a disease but the immune response that will eventually provide protection,” the CDC said.
The same study debunked myths that the COVID-19 vaccine could affect a person’s DNA, part of the misinformation spread in western countries against it.
“None of the vaccines interact with the DNA; a manipulation of the DNA is technically impossible,” the study said.
If these assurances are not enough to convince the vaccine-hesitant, let’s try this: The vaccine is free; getting seriously ill with COVID-19 costs an arm and a foot.
Dying from the virus exacts an even higher price.
We will not use the persuasion point that getting the vaccine is a “patriotic duty.” Instead, we will tell the vaccine-hesitant to be “selfish.” Just think of themselves: How painful and how costly it is to get sick.
The pain of the jab lasts for no more than 48 hours based on what those who have been vaccinated have shared with us.
This is nothing compared to the pain of being intubated and separated from one’s loved ones.
Nothing compared to the emotional pain of losing one’s life-savings in order to pay of the huge cost of getting sick.
To those who have not gotten the vaccine, go and get it within the next three days.
*For feedback, please email it to [email protected] or send it to Block 6 Lot 10 Sta. Barbara 1 cor. Bradley St., Mission Hills Subd., Brgy. San Roque, Antipolo City, Rizal.