El Balsalmo Curativo (Medical Truths Explained): The Jab

Overview of Vaccines

Edward Jenner made history in 1796 as the founder of vaccinology when he inoculated a young boy with a vaccine created from cowpox pustules leading to vaccination against smallpox and later, eradication of the disease. Though not the initial vaccine, Jenner’s actions caused the use of vaccines to become widespread and paved the way for groundbreaking initiatives by several giants in Medicine, including Louis Pasteur’s 1885 rabies vaccine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines vaccines as: “a preparation that is used to stimulate the body’s immune response against diseases.” This involves introducing into the body a particle or remnant of an infectious microorganism in a small quantity, enough to stimulate the body to identify and respond, but not in sufficient quantity or potency to exacerbate the infectious process.

Administration and Side Effects

Vaccines can be given orally or by injections, and most vaccines have minor side effects which mainly result from the body’s response and not components of the vaccine. Side effects may include low-grade fever, redness or pain to the vaccination site, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, and mild body and joint pains. Rarer and serious side effects may also occur from allergic reactions to vaccine ingredients.

COVID-19 Vaccines and Side Effects

Currently, COVID-19 vaccines are considered the most contentious. These vaccines include the mRNA vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna, with the major side effect of myocarditis. Non-replicating viral vector COVID-19 vaccines include Johnson and Johnson, Astra Zeneca, and Sputnik V, with major side effects of blood clots. The whole virus vaccines include the Sinovac and Sinopharm, and finally, the protein subunit vaccine, Novovax.

At-Risk Populations

Prior to the COVID 19 pandemic, vaccination of the at-risk population for many diseases was prioritised. These persons are deemed the most vulnerable and would logically benefit from the most protection. At-risk persons include pregnant mothers, the elderly, persons with chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, kidney disease, cancer and HIV. The presence of chronic illnesses does not disqualify affected persons from receiving COVID-19 vaccines. In fact, the opposite is true as this population is in dire need of vaccination.

The Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) reported findings from a small study of babies born to mothers vaccinated against COVID-19 during pregnancy that showed vaccinated

by Dr Kezia Lee MD, MMed Paediatrics

pregnant mothers were able to confer to their offspring a higher level of immunity against COVID-19, as opposed to those who were not, with even higher levels of immunity when vaccination occurred closer to delivery. Vaccination during pregnancy has not been proven to result in any ill effects in mothers.

Findings from a limited study published in Cell Reports, an openaccess journal, suggested, “vaccination is particularly valuable for people who have already had COVID-19, ensuring a robust immune reaction if the virus finds them again.” It concludes that even if you were previously infected with COVID-19, vaccination after the fact confers a higher immunity.

Booster Shots and Vaccination of Children

Booster shots, which are administered to more than 90% of the population from infancy, are a common occurrence in medical practice. Due to waning of the vaccine’s effectiveness on the immune system, in some cases, boosters are required after shorter periods, others can be administered over longer intervals, and some, such as the flu shot, may be seasonal.

In September 2021, a statement from Pfizer, BioNTech Company, indicated: “The safety profile and immunogenicity data in children aged 5 to 11 years vaccinated at a lower dose are consistent with those we have observed with our vaccine in other older populations at a higher dose.” Data from the study showed there were high levels of antibodies present which is comparable with vaccination in the older population. There is no current conclusive evidence with regards to vaccination in children under 12, and Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approval remains pending.

Effectivity

The effectivity of COVID-19 vaccines varies between 60 and 98 percent. According to UpToDate, a well renowned medical site trusted by physicians worldwide, “Nevertheless, all the available vaccines are highly effective, substantially reduce the risk of COVID-19, especially severe/critical disease, and have been associated with substantial reductions in COVID-19-associated hospitalisations and deaths.”

The Choice

Jab, or no jab, is a personal decision, but one with local, regional and international implications. Equipping ourselves with accurate information from reliable sources is crucial to the health and wellbeing of individuals, loved ones, neighbours, community and the entire human population at large. According to Benjamin Franklin, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’

REFERENCES https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/imz-basics.htm https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/968048 https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/959089 https://www.uptodate.com/contents/covid-19-vaccines https://www.historyofvaccines.org/timeline/all

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