It has been almost two years since the world changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This disease has taken the world like no other disease in this century. To date, this disease has infected over 238 million people. Over 4.8 million people succumbed to it. And the numbers are growing each day.
As the medical community learns more and more about the Covid-19 virus, they can determine medications and treatments that are helpful in fighting it and which are not. One of the breakthroughs that scientists and medical experts have discovered is the use of vaccines as a weapon to fight the Covid-19 virus.
Positive Signs
There are many varying views and opinions about the efficacy or safety of this vaccine. Also, the medical experts and scientists’ hope of a vaccine that would prevent transmission of the virus to and from the vaccinated individuals has been proven not to be the case. But despite these challenges, the vaccine has continued to show positive signs that it helps the vaccinated from getting a severe infection – someone has a lower risk of needing an ICU (Intensive Care Unit) or dying due to the illness, especially if the person has any comorbidities. Statistics in Medical Journals show that in the past few weeks, especially during the wave of the Delta variant, the majority of those who are in the ICU or dying are unvaccinated.
“Getting a vaccine will definitely better protect you from having a severe infection of COVID-19, and shows promise that it will protect others from getting COVID-19, and therefore, I would encourage you to do so.”.
– Dr. Erin Meier, missionary serving at Nazarene General Hospital
While a few medicines have proven effective in treating Covid-19 patients, the reality is that most countries around the world do not or have limited access to them. Even more, the oxygen supply in some countries is also challenging. While no medicine or vaccine is 100% effective against all diseases including the COVID-19 vaccine, after 18 months in this pandemic, the vaccine is the best protection that everyone can give to themselves against the virus.
Vaccine protects from severe cases
There is hope that the vaccinated will not only protect him/herself but most importantly protect others from getting infected. The reasons for these are:
- The vaccine will give better protection from getting the virus. If the person don’t have it, he/she can’t spread it;
- The vaccine will help the person to be contagious for a shorter period of time;
- If the person has smaller viral load in the body, it means that he/she have less chances of passing the virus to others.
More studies will need to be done to look at these factors to determine the efficacy of the vaccine in preventing the transmission to others, but it will be a win-win situation if a person will decide to be vaccinated to protect him/herself and others.
“Getting a vaccine will definitely better protect you from having a severe infection of COVID-19, and shows promise that it will protect others from getting COVID-19, and therefore, I would encourage you to do so.”.
