Lokman: I Was Speaking Out To Seek Clarification On Vaccine Issues
Some people believe that it is better to develop natural immunity by allowing children to contract vaccine-preventable diseases like measles however, getting measles comes with the risk of death, deafness and intellectual disability. TNS
Every time I think about getting the Covid-19 vaccine, my Facebook news feed will show me reports on this or that vaccine causing side effects, or even deaths. This makes me scared. What exactly is the truth?
All vaccines have side effects. Most of them are mild and will only cause you minor discomfort, if any at all.
Contrast this with getting the actual disease itself, such as Covid-19, measles, mumps, chickenpox, rubella or tuberculosis.
That is why vaccination is the most important thing you can do to protect yourself and your children.
Vaccines prevent up to three million deaths globally every year.
Ever since vaccines were introduced over the last three centuries, diseases like smallpox, polio and tetanus are completely gone, or seen only very rarely.
Smallpox used to kill millions of people.
Polio used to render many people disabled.
I had measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox myself during childhood, because those vaccines had not been introduced yet.
I would not want any child to go through those today if possible.
But do vaccines kill people?
Vaccines can cause side effects, just like any medication.
Vaccines are rigorously tested and monitored.
They are one of the safest medical products for human beings.
Are you one of them?
Dependency And Conflict Avoidance
Some people are more dependent on the opinions of those closest to them. The dynamics of the relationship are such that the person doubts themselves, relies on the other person to make day-to-day decisions for them and idealizes the other person or seeks to minimize conflicts with them.
In these cases, the persons position and choice will be influenced by the fact that their peer does not consider vaccination to be important.
The Hpv Vaccine: Why Parents Really Choose To Refuse
Study results suggest safety concerns top the list, and that physicians need to step up their patient education and vaccine recommendations
Researchers explain the reasons for why parents chose not to get their child vaccinated with the HPV vaccineCredit: Johns Hopkins Medicine
Top reasons why parents choose to refuse the HPV vaccine for their childrenCredit: Johns Hopkins Medicine |
The findings, published in the November issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health, could help public health officials and professional societies develop new interventions to increase rates of HPV vaccination.
The HPV vaccine has already shown promise in helping to stem long-rising rates of cancers transmitted by the virus, including an estimated 31,500 cases in the United States annually of cancers of the cervix, vagina, vulva, oropharynx and anus. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the vaccinebeginning at age 9in 2006 for females and in 2009 for males. But it wasnt recommended for use in males until 2011 by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the group of medical experts that gives guidance on vaccines for the public. Worldwide studies have shown the vaccine to be virtually 100 percent effective and very safe, with the FDA concluding that the vast majority of side effects are minor, and that benefits continue to outweigh adverse events.
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Heres How We Handle People Who Refuse To Get Covid Vaccines
The government cant force people to get vaccinated, but businesses can bar people who are not. We just need a simple, reliable way to determine whos had their shots.
Americans are about to enter a new phase of the pandemic, in which life-saving vaccines are, at last, a reality. The next several months will be confusing, with light visible at the end of the tunnel but the tunnel darker than ever, amidst thorny ethical questions of who should be prioritized.
But the months after that will be even more confusing, and we need to start preparing to answer those questions now.
By April or May, according to experts, most Americans who want vaccines will have gotten them. The trouble is that, as of last month anyway, 40 percent or so of Americans still need to be persuaded to get one.
For life, and the economy, to return to normal, we need most of these people to take part. So much is at stake: safe hospitals, stores, businesses, mass transit, schools, air travel, and cultural institutions, not to mention the economies that depend on them, our psychological well-being, and our entire way of life.
Too much is at stake to wait for people who refuse to get vaccinated. We need a plan to move forward without them.
But freedom is a two-way street. You may have a right to get drunk and to drive however you like, but I have a right to be on the street and not be killed by you. No freedom is absolute, and your safety is where my freedom ends.
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People Feel Anxious About Vaccine Safety
#COVID19 vaccine hesitancy has become a major issue in some parts of the . It’s more difficult to make an informed health decision when your choice is being interfered with by misinformation, and that can be deadly
World Health Organization
Its easy to see why some people are vaccine-hesitant when you remember how fast the pharmaceutical companies released them. This took much faster than other shots.
According to the World Economic Forum, traditional vaccine development took at least ten years. Thats because the experts want to make sure the shots will be safe for everyone who takes it.
It presents a chart of the three stages of creating a vaccine. Check it, and youll notice that most of the time is spent on testing the vaccine. After all, people present different factors that may alter its effects.
Why did the vaccines take less time to make? You can compare this to skills. For example, as you get better at cooking, you take less time preparing and put more quality into your meals.
Together with new technologies, pharma companies are able to create the COVID vaccines in less time. More importantly, they can make sure theyre safe.
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Hesitation And Refusal Factors In Individuals’ Decision
- Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Talca, Talca, Chile
Introduction: Considering the global prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 , a vaccine is being developed to control the disease as a complementary solution to hygiene measuresand better, in social terms, than social distancing. Given that a vaccine will eventually be produced, information will be needed to support a potential campaign to promote vaccination.
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the variables affecting the likelihood of refusal and indecision toward a vaccine against COVID-19 and to determine the acceptance of the vaccine for different scenarios of effectiveness and side effects.
Materials and Methods: A multinomial logistic regression method based on the Health Belief Model was used to estimate the current methodology, using data obtained by an online anonymous survey of 370 respondents in Chile.
We discovered that it is necessary to formulate specific, differentiated vaccination-promotion strategies for the anti-vaccine and undecided groups based on the factors that explain the probability of individuals refusing or expressing hesitation toward vaccination.
Reason : A Variety Of Conspiracy Theories
At least half the people who say they wont get vaccinated believe at least one conspiracy theory about the Covid-19 vaccines or vaccines in general, according to a YouGov poll from May.
The best hope for refuting such disinformation, based on political science research, is for public officials and the media to stop spreading it and, when it does pop up, correct it. But the spread of disinformation is a much thornier problem that society at large is still coming to terms with as the internet and social media have made it so easy for people to proliferate lies and myths and it will take a while to really get a handle on this.
Thankfully, the conspiracy theorists are still a minority of Americans overall.
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Vaccination: A Moral Duty
Dr. Ghaly echoed the sentiments of the WHO Director General who recently warned that the world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure.
He explains that cardinal values such as justice and compassion are often neglected or forgotten, during the quest of dispelling and refuting claims about the vaccinations not being compatible with religious norms. He stresses the importance of ensuring equitable and fair access to vaccines, and that Muslim-majority countries have a moral obligation to help poor individuals and countries who cannot afford to acquire the Covid-19 vaccines.
From a Christian, Catholic standpoint, earlier this year, Pope Francis, during a TV interview, suggested that people are morally obligated to get vaccinated against Covid-19, stressing that it is a choice that doesnt just affect ones life personally, but also the lives of others. These remarks aimed at the worlds 1.3 billion Catholics, confirmed his personal support, and the support of the Vatican, for the global vaccination roll out.
Experts estimate that between 70% and 90% of the global population needs to be vaccinated in order for us to reach herd immunity and return to some kind of normalcy. While vaccination for Covid-19 is unlikely to become mandatory in the concrete sense of the word, the vaccines are absolutely crucial to bring about the end of the pandemic.
No one will ever be truly safe until everyone is safe Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary- General, United Nations.
- Tags
Of White Evangelical Protestants Have Not Been Vaccinated
This religious group, along with Hispanic Protestants, are the least likely to say they have or plan to be vaccinated, according to polling by the Public Religion Research Institute.
This remains unchanged from polling in March, though both reported double-digit moves towards vaccination. 24% of white evangelical Protestants say they will never get vaccinated, the highest percentage among religious groups polled.
But, as another group proves, these numbers arent set in stone: in March, only 56% of Hispanic Catholics had or planned to get a vaccine dose, but by Junewhich was even before the Pope urged everyone to get vaccinated and the FDA fully approved Pfizers shotthat number was 80%, which among religious groups is second only to Jews .
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There’s Accumulating Evidence That A Significant Fraction Of Patients With Severe Disease Are Making Unusual Amounts And Types Of Autoantibodies
Another 10% were found to have self-targeted antibodies in their blood, known as autoantibodies, which bind to any interferon proteins released by cells and remove them from the bloodstream before the alert signal can be picked up by the rest of the body. According to Ignacio Sanz, an expert in immunology at Emory University, this confirms other findings that suggest autoantibodies play a key role in serious cases of Covid-19 by shutting down the body’s ability to defend itself against viruses. “There’s accumulating evidence that a significant fraction of patients with severe disease are making unusual amounts and types of autoantibodies,” he says.
Rockefeller scientists now want to use this information to detect people who might have an invisible vulnerability to Covid-19, as well as other respiratory viruses such as seasonal influenza or a new coronavirus pandemic. Zhang explains that anyone who is known to have a genetic mutation impairing their interferon response can be treated with type one interferons, either as a preventative measure or in the early stages of infection. “Since doing the study, we’ve had three patients in Paris, who already knew they had these genetic mutations,” she says. “After testing positive for Covid-19, they received an injection of interferon, and all three outcomes were very good. No severe illness.”
Susceptibility genes
Early in the pandemic doctors began to notice patterns between certain patient blood types and the severity of disease
Vaccination Rates Increasing But Fear Still Out There
According to the World Health Organization, vaccine hesitancy is one of the ten leading threats to global health.
In the case of COVID, refusing or delaying vaccination has been a significant problem, with anti-vax and freedom marches dominating news cycles over recent months.
In Australia, the issue of vaccine hesitancy remains significant, despite some reports to the contrary.
Vaccine rates are on track to reach 85% or even more than 90% in many parts of the country. And last month a Sydney Morning Herald survey showed only 9% of adults indicated they were unlikely to get vaccinated.
The article also claimed vaccine fears have plunged to a record low.
However, while the data were real, in our view, the interpretation of them was flawed.
Fear hasnt substantially diminished. Instead, mandatory vaccination of certain groups in the community, and significant disadvantages for those who refuse to be vaccinated, is driving increases in vaccination uptake.
In several Australian states, mandatory vaccinations are in place for many professions, including quarantine workers, health workers, teachers, construction workers, aged-care workers and other groups. When you need to work to put food on the table, the decision to stay unvaccinated can become an impossible one.
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Determinants Of The Probability Of Hesitancy
We considered the coefficients of the multinomial logit estimate that were statistically significant to identify the positive and negative determinants of the probability of hesitancy . On the one hand, the variables that reduced the logarithmic relative probability of hesitancy versus being vaccinated against COVID-19 were the increased availability of an effective vaccine , work in the health sector , the increase in the contagion rate per 1,000 inhabitants , the social network indicating that vaccinating is inconvenient and increased belief that the vaccine reduces fear of contagion , and the greater the perceptions of health complications generated by COVID-19 . On the other hand, the main variables that increased this relative probability were increased positive perceptions about the government’s communication response to the pandemic , the greater fear of side effects and the belief that the vaccine is risky , the increase in lack of general knowledge of the vaccine , a preference for waiting for others to get vaccinated first , and the level of income .
Help Them Think Of Others
Communication is key to combatting vaccine hesitancy & protecting your patients. Its important to discuss how critical #vaccines are to eradicating deadly diseases, & specifically #COVID19. See our #COVIDvaccines& Pregnancy clinical conversation guide:
ACOG
Some people act recklessly because they forget how it could harm others. That might be a good thing to tell them if they insist on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.
Just be careful when taking this approach. You dont want to come off as if youre accusing them of deliberately infecting others. Instead, discuss the broad and long-term benefits of vaccination.
If they seem offended after your explanation, it might be best to stop. You wont be able to convince everyone, so it would be best to respect peoples choices.
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Of Republicans Have Not Yet Been Vaccinated
Polls consistently identify Republicans as the group least likely to report being vaccinated and the most likely to say they will never get a shot.
While the proportion has changed over time42% said they would probably or definitely not get a vaccine when available in December, 29% said they would never get one in March and in Kaisers most recent polling this fell to 20%the group still has one of the highest rates of vaccine refusal among groups polled.
Democrats consistently poll in the other direction, with just 5% saying they will never be vaccinated and 86% reporting having at least one dose.
History Does Repeat: Pandemic Vaccine Uproar Is Nothing New
Oct. 14, 2021 — Even as the fourth wave of COVID-19 cases trends downward, one aspect of the pandemic remains strong: differing opinions on the value of COVID-19 immunization and vaccine mandates across the U.S.
Strong feelings around vaccination are nothing new. Claims that link the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine to autism and opposition to measles vaccination that triggered outbreaks in California are recent examples.
In other words, although the furor over vaccines feels like a modern experience, disagreements throughout history reveal many similarities.
“There are a lot of parallels — many of the same exact arguments,” says Anna Kirkland, PhD, director of the Institute for Research on Women and Gender at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
“Some of the differences now are the stark political alignments by party that we see under COVID, which were there in some ways before but became very prominently organized by party,” she says. “Those are only differences of degree, though, because there has long been an anti-government backing of anti-vaccine sentiments.”
For example, the Anti-Vaccination Society of America was founded in 1879. Its public campaign against mandatory smallpox vaccination used wording about personal freedoms that might sound familiar today: “Liberty cannot be given, it must be taken.”
The society was part of a larger movement that also questioned the motives behind promotion of the smallpox vaccine.
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Some Folks Fall For Conspiracy Theories
The internet allows everyone to share their ideas. Sadly, this means we have folks who spread misinformation and outrageous claims, especially about the coronavirus.
For example, some folks say that the COVID-19 vaccines are part of a master plan by Bill Gates. The theory claims that the shots place microchips in people, so Gates can track them.
Another one claims that the whole coronavirus pandemic is just a way for governments to impose more control on people. They even point to the vaccine passports as proof.
Others say its no different from other infectious diseases. Thats why herd immunity would be enough to get rid of this. Whats more, many people arent able to spot fake news on the internet.
Thats because folks dont know which sources are credible. As weve established, their distrust also clouds their judgment. Others had poor education which makes them more likely to fall for these hoaxes.
What should we do about them? The short-term measure should be to stay on reputable sources. Only get COVID information from health professionals.
These people have spent years learning about medicine, so we can be sure that they know what theyre talking about. You may get info from social media if its from these medical experts.
Otherwise, you cannot be sure where the information comes from, especially if its an expose or a shocking truth about COVID.