The little we know

BY JULLIE Y. DAZA

A little knowledge is a dan­gerous thing. But what little we know about Covid-19 and the vaccines to fight it isn’t enough.

According to Ohio State University, 87,000 scientific papers about the virus have been published all over the world from January to Octo­ber 2020. How in the world does the world digest all that information?

These days, the most asked question has been, “Are you willing to be vaccinated?” Next: “Which brand?”

With every jab of informa­tion being injected into media space, we feel antsy instead of assured. When knowing a little can be as dangerous as know­ing nothing, might it be good to retreat from all sources of news, semi-news, false news, not to mention the latest word from friends and co-workers, your neighbors, your boss.

The AstraZeneca vaccine that’s arrived from Amster­dam is an example. One re­port said it has a low rate of protection against the South Africa variant. But DOH Un­dersecretary Vergeire said the “not high” rating was due to the “small sample” used in the study. Another report said AZ has an 82.4 percent efficacy rate, which makes it okay for “vulnerable” senior citizens and health workers.

Dr. Tony Leachon: “Each vac­cine has its own attribute.”

Besides, the vaccines come with their own baggage. For in­stance, Dr. Leachon said, Pfizer falls under the US’ “vaccina­tion nationalism” (America first, before other countries). The single-dose vaccine of Johnson and Johnson will not be immediately available here as it will take three to six months for the Philippines to place its order. SinoVac is not for seniors and health work­ers exposed to Covid patients. If the President is 76 years old, way above the 59 cap, why are we needling him to get vac­cinated, be it with SinoPharm or whatever his doctors will recommend?

A 63-year-old Hong Konger with chronic and respiratory diseases died two days after he was inoculated against Covid-19. This case is not the first – remember the 20-plus elderly Norwegians who died after they were vaccinated with Pfizer? Meanwhile, a wellknown Fili­pino businessman in his early 70s has told his children: “If I get Covid, don’t take me to the hospital. I don’t want to die there of stress from intubation and isolation.”