Vaccines are inactive or weakened viral particles that trigger the body’s immune system to produce antibodies against a specific virus without causing infection. If the body is exposed to the active virus, the body uses the previously developed antibodies to neutralise the invading virus, protecting the person from infection.
The spread of misinformation and rumour about the Covid-19 vaccines have led to mistrust in the community. As a result many people have become hesitant to get vaccinated. In a survey of 500 000 private medical scheme members, only 30% indicated that they would be willing to take the Covid-19 vaccine.
The mistrust has been developed through the media and social networks identifying that the Covid-19 vaccine was developed much quicker than previously developed vaccines. The Pfizer and Modena vaccines were developed from scratch using new technology, but the other vaccines, developed by Johnson & Johnson and Astra Zeneca, were developed using technology already developed in the manufacture of other viral vaccines. Normally a vaccine may take from five to ten years to develop. However, recently, with N1H1 (swine flu) and Ebola, vaccine development has been shortened to 12 to 18 months. Despite this shortening of time to develop these important vaccines, unlike Covid-19, these vaccines have has not had much mistrust and resistance.
The SARS-CoV-2 virus, the cause of Covid-19 is closely related to the SARS-CoV-1 virus the cause of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) which vaccine was already in development. This meant shifting from developing the SARS vaccine to the Covid-19 vaccine was relatively simple using already developed technologies. It seems that the media and social media have exaggerated the problems questioning these technologies resulting in suspicions in the vaccine and vaccination.
There are other reasons for people being sceptical of the covid-19 vaccine. Some folk are fearful of exaggerated side effects, others feel the vaccine may actually give them Covid -19. Others have been misled into believing the vaccine is part of a government conspiracy by having a minute chip injecting into them so as to keep track of their every move.
The development of the South African variant (and other variants) of the Covid-19 virus has also added to the mistrust of the efficacy of the vaccine. While we are aware that the current vaccines in SA are only 60% effective, researches are working on developing more effective vaccines, which can be used as a booster vaccine to overcome the possible inefficacy of the original vaccine.
To fully protect the community, 67% of the community needs to be effectively vaccination by establishing herd immunity. Since the current vaccination is only 60% effective, this means that much more that 67% of the community needs vaccinating. It is therefore important that if we are to prevent a third Covid-19 wave, get our businesses fully open and functional and have our way of life restored, herd immunity needs to be established. This can only come about by the vaccination. Therefore, to establish herd immunity just about everyone needs to be vaccinated. Although you cannot be forced to have a vaccination, we believe it is incumbent upon all of us to reconsider and book for a vaccination as soon as it becomes available.