COVID vax proven by science, clinical tests — solon
FORMER Health Secretary and now Iloilo Representative Janette Garin called on the Department of Health and some doctors to stop debating on the efficacy of the vaccines against COVID-19.
Garin said people should not be given confusing information because it was proven by science and clinical studies that all vaccines are effective in preventing critical cases.
“All vaccines help prevent severe COVID-19 – that is the truth. Vaccines’ efficacy rates are subjective: it depends on the population, age, health status, etc,” Garin said.
To say that only this or that brand is effective is naiveté and a disservice to the scientific community, Garin, a doctor by profession, stressed.
According to Garin, the transmissibility rate of the Delta variant is unprecedented.
“ Sa katotohanan, unexpected naman lahat ng COVID-19 variants. Lahat ng vaccines ay hindi naman prepared sa kung anong variant ang lalabas dahil hindi naman natin alam kung paano at kailan nadedevelop at lumalabas ang iba’t ibang variants. As the virus evolves, so do the studies for its cure and prevention.
“The remarkable vaccine escape capability of the Delta variant has affected all vaccines. That is why more antibodies or ‘soldiers’ are needed by our bodies because the Delta variant can replicate 1000x more than the other variants,” the solon explained.
Garin said the only solution is a third dose to which clinical trials of Sinovac and Pfizer had this information already.
“Huwag tayong sumawsaw sa labanan ng pharmaceuticals. Let us not pit vaccines against each other. Now, more than ever, we need to listen to real experts and factual science,” she said.
“While I agree that the country should procure vaccines that are more cost-effective for our population, we should also be careful of what we say in public. Hindi na nga natin maabot-abot ang 70% vaccination rate ng population, binibigyan pa natin ng air time ang mga non experts,” she added.
Meanwhile, Garin urged the public not to be easily deceived by experts who have more followers in their social media page or those who are kept on talking in social media.
“Hindi basehan ng expertise ang pagkakaroon ng maraming followers at pagiging maingay sa social media lalo na sa usapan ng vaccinology. Let us not confuse people. Let us not scare people,” she said.
