IT SEEMS there is finally a minuscule light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel. People are starting to get vaccinated all around the world. Even in the Philippines, we have just started tip-toeing towards the path of getting over this pandemic.
However, not everyone is optimistic about this new development, especially in the Pinas. Sinovac and Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines seem to show erratic results, leaving people skeptical about their effectiveness. People think we are doomed to have a substandard vaccine.
I think itĀ“s important to know that there are some people who donĀ“t only mistrust the Chinese vaccine, but ALL the vaccines. Yes, even the much-lauded Pfizer product has some people scoffing. Some close friends of mine and health professionals clearly state they ādonĀ“t want the vaccineā.
ItĀ“s shocking. You would think people would be stampeding to get vaccinated after the trauma of the quarantine. So what gives? Why are people thinking this way now?
There are a lot of conspiracy theories and myths circulating about vaccines. Some people think it will give you allergies or negatively affect your ability to have a child.
People also think that the vaccine was rushed and that the whole COVID mishap was a ploy by pharmaceutical companies to make money through the vaccines.
If you do your research, you will find that all these myths and theories have been debunked. The reason why the vaccine seemed to have developed so fast was that the messenger RNA used in some vaccines (Pfizer, BioNTech, and Moderna) were already in development for several decades. These companies also had better funding and an easier time looking for participants due to the demand.
It is important to note that the Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines donĀ“t use messenger RNA but instead āweakenā the virus and cause it to be āinactiveā using chemicals.
The development also involves using monkey liver cells so I can see why some people are hesitant.
A friend of mine also mentioned that we donĀ“t know what the effects of the vaccine will be like in two years. It may be fuel for the mutation of a bigger and worse virus. But then again, maybe not.
There is no 100 percent affirmation in science, factors like the vaccine brand and how your body receives can play a big role in its effectiveness. But I think we need to take a leap of faith with these vaccines, even the ones from China.
Science has always been met with skepticism. More often than not, however, it has made a positive impact on the world.
Maybe I am too gullible or I am a wishful thinker, but I think these vaccines can improve the situation, even just a little bit. It can give us some form of herd immunity and protection.
As for the effect in the future, thatĀ“s too far ahead to worry about. I just hope we can finally get COVID-19 under control./PN
