I’m not a doctor, and I have no medical qualifications whatsoever, but I do try to base my beliefs and actions on scientific evidence and reason. I, like many other people, hope that scientists will soon find a safe, effective vaccine and that they will be able to produce enough doses to stop this terrible pandemic in its tracks. I say “many” people and not “everyone”, because health care professionals are afraid that public distrust of vaccines may lead to a continued spread of the virus even if they can come up with a solution that works. Yes, in the 21st century, too many are vulnerable to politicisation and irrational fear of vaccination, a medical intervention that has saved millions of lives over the decades and continues to do so today.
It matters not how many vaccines are developed to beat the coronavirus if people don’t take them, and given how difficult it is to persuade people to wear masks, a far simpler measure than going to the doctor for an injection, one can only imagine how hard it will be to convince people to go and get vaccinated.
For decades, the world was happy to believe reliable, accessible information about vaccines, supported by sound, scientific data. Then came the internet, and now logical thought and trust in science are staggering under the weight of dubious information gleaned by the public from second-rate sources such as social media and self-interested politicians, and unsubstantiated snippets of knowledge backed by no more than fuzzy, unscientific “beliefs”.
The truth is that vaccinations have been a triumph for global health, but a disaster for public relations. According to the World Health Organisation, vaccinating the population is one of the most successful public health achievements of the last one hundred years, reducing the frequency and deaths from preventable diseases like whooping cough and measles, both of which are creeping back in some countries as misguided parents refuse to adequately protect their children.
It is a cause for celebration by humankind that more than 20 potentially fatal diseases can now be prevented by immunisation, and new vaccines for killers like diarrhoea, cervical cancer, cholera, and meningitis are being rolled out in numerous countries. The vital work to protect people of all ages from preventable disease must continue during the pandemic, too.
Despite the misinformation spread by politicians and some doctors, numerous reliable studies have shown that there is absolutely no evidence to support the idea that vaccines cause autism or other chronic illnesses, nor is it true that our immune systems can’t handle more than one vaccine simultaneously.
Many people worry that vaccines contain unsafe toxins, but only trace amounts of some chemicals are used, and there is no scientific evidence that they are harmful. Others believe that better hygiene and sanitation are responsible for decreased infections, not vaccines, but they are wrong. When the first measles vaccine was introduced in the United States in 1963, there was a steady infection rate of 400,000 per year. This had fallen to just 25,000 cases by 1970, without changes in hygiene and sanitation standards. The evidence is as clear as day.
However concerned you may be, you are wrong if you believe that vaccines are not worth the risk. Only one death was reported to the Centre of Disease Control between 1990 and 1992 attributed to a vaccine, and there is thought to be just one severe allergic reaction per one or two million injections. In contrast, if you wanted to gain immunity to measles, for example, by contracting the disease, you would face a one in 500 chance of death from your symptoms.
As I say, I am not a doctor, but I can read, and I prefer to get my health information from the World Health Organisation than Facebook.
If you still have doubts, then think of the last time you had flu, or even a really bad gastrointestinal infection and then think about how ill you might be if you caught Covid-19 because you didn’t want to have a vaccination.
Fantastic post! You are the best!
Interesting post!
You are the best!
beeing vaccines one of the blessings of the last 100 years, which is 100% true, facebook as an information source seems to me one of the curses of at least our decade.
Despite the fact that not all vaccinations make sense and some are more of a business model for the health industry, many have saved millions of fatalities.
Internet gives us many tools and reliable information sources at hand that help us making more mature decisions on such questions – facebook is only one to build a fundament for the immature ones
Bravo, I have to say that it is important to speak up in favor of vaccines. Humankind is lucky that more than 20 fatal diseases can be prevented by just a little prick with a small needle. We should cheer and be happy, instead of spreading misinformation and untrue statements. So let`s stay rational hoping that an Anti-Coronavirus vaccine will soon be found, for the good of all of us.
Stop Coronavirus! 🙌🏻
I wonder whether those people who are against vaccination will queue up the moment COVID vaccination is found… Of course it requires testing and being 100% sure it is safe for humans. That is why it requires time and testing. Lots of myths have been spread regarding vaccines, but the truth is that they have saved thousands of people’s lives in human history, as well as improved world’s population health by reducing the transmission of disease.
Very wise words I belief in!
Hopefully the vaccin will come quick and we can embrace eachother finally😀
Thanks for the interesting reflection!
Agree with you, lets science work. However it can be a longer way as we want.
Nature ist still more clever than us!!
Vaccination will make the difference: I trust facts and results will change people’s mind still in doubt.
The vaccine we’ll get may be not very different from our annual flu vaccine.
That means, it can cover 70 to 80 percent. Which would be quite something.
At the same time we’ll get those vaccine “refuseniks” who prefer to get sick and make everyone else infected too.
However we’ll protect us from them up to a certain point.
The rest in in God’s hand and in that of our immune system.
Just as simple as… „Science is the Progress“
Un saludo
I totally agree with the approach of the article. In these cases, which are of enormous importance to public health, science and scientists must be allowed to speak and never be carried away by unfounded opinions. The recent incidents with a vaccine volunteer – wich are normal in this type of case and show the transparency with which scientists work – can lead to dangerous arguments against vaccines. It is everyone’s job to help public opinion appreciate the enormous importance they have in saving lives.
I hope that people will be up to the challenge that we face, and take the vaccine.
Good article.
Completely right – we have to trust in scientific research and facts in order to safeguard the health of all human beings!
I totally agree with you that vaccines were very important historically and now even more with this pandemic that has placed the world in a deep crisis. In Asia, there are rumors that vaccines have a chip in them, which can be used for tracking people’s whereabouts. But what if it is a reality that without vaccines, humanity will suffer incurable pandemics and we could not have resisted. For which, it is important to raise awareness and vaccinate ourselves against this scourge coronavirus that torments us every day. Thank you Stephan for your comments that promote a greater culture about the importance of being vaccinated.
Regards from Hong Kong
Ricardo
interesting…
Very true….we should stick more to science
I can support this for hundred percent.
I never have an understanding for people who prefer to be ill than having a vaccine.
It is completely irresponsible
I agree,… but I do not. From my experience in the IP world, I know that drug patents lifeti is increased from 20 to 25 years, in the consideration that a drug authorization does not arrives untily the drugs, and also the vaccines are proven to be safe. And it takes from 3 to 5 years. I’m I going to take a vac. that is not proven to be safe. The answer is NOOOO, anth neither my sons!