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Hereva idau idau eloamu bena ita eda taunimanima edia lalohadai maorodia ehadika diamu eda tanobada Papua New Guinea lalonai.
uestions and...
Henandaia herevadia.
nswers on COVID-19
Henandaia herevadia ihaloudia COVID-19 gorere ai.
Professor Glen Mola ena hadibaia herevadia
Professor Glen Mola, MBBS(Melb), DPH(Syd), MRACGPs, FRCOG, FRANZCOG, OL, CSM Head of Reproductive Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology at SMHS-UPNG Senior Consultant specialist clinician at the Port Moresby General Hospital
Sponsored by Ok Tedi Mining Ltd
Q
1. COVID 19 epidemic is a hoax and why are not so many Papua New Guineans dying right now?
A
It is a very real world wide pandemic, millions have died and continue to die from this nasty disease. The propagation of this misinformation has the potential to lead to thousands of deaths in PNG if people pretend that COVID-19 does not exist, because then we will not take care to prevent the spread. Recently, we have tested the maximum cases in NCD 271 (1.2.21) in one day bringing PNG’s total to 6100 and total deaths (60 as of 1.4.21), we are in the exponential surge phase of this epidemic in PNG.
Q
1. COVID19 gorere na dia gorere momokani na bona dahaka dainai Papua New Guinea taunimanima dia momo do semase ina nega lalonai?
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COVID19 gorere na momokani dainai taunimanima momo vada emase tanobada haidia lalodiai. Bema eda tanobada lalonai taunimanima haidia egwaumu COVID19 gorere na dia gorere momokani (bena ita taunimanima haidia ese idia edia hereva baitaha momokani) neganai, vada taunimanima momo baie mase diba. Dina 20 March 2021, NCD lalonai 271 taunimanima vada edavaridia mai edia COVID19 gorere. To ema bona ina nega lalonai, 6100 taunimanima vada edavaridia mai edia COVID19 gorere bona taunimanima 60 vada emase. Ita eda tanobada lalonai bona tanobada haidia lalodiai danu COVID19 gorere numera na ebada hereamu hua tata lalodiai. Brazil tanobada edia President (bona USA edia President gunana Donald Trump) egwauva ina COVID19 gorere na koikoi, to ema bona ina nega, ini tanobada raruosi na COVID19 gorere ese vada emeha metaudia bada herea. Brazil tanobada lalonai, dina ta lalonai taunimanima 90,000 vada edavaridia mai edia COVID19 gorere. Ina nega lalonai, taunimanima 300,000 vada e mase COVID19 gorere amo. Ita eda taunimanima ese Brazil tanobada ena metau COVID19 gorere dainai na baita laloa badabada, badina COVID19 gorere ese ita eda iahudia laganidia badadia baine abidia neganai, idia baie mase diba. Taunimanima momo herea vada emase Europe bona England tanobada lalonai to dia ita eda tanobada PNG ai. Badina be PNG ena taunimanima iahudia na dia momo. PNG ena taunimanima momo na doini maragidia bona laganidia na 18 do seabia, una dainai COVID19 gorere ese laganidia 18 amo ediho na basineha metau dia.
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2. COVID19 infection is just like a mild ‘flu’ or the same as Influenza? It is not. Influenza mainly affects the upper respiratory tract then moves down to inflame the air sacs in the lungs where oxygen-CO2 exchange takes place. COVID19 also starts in the upper respiratory tract, but this is where the similarity ends. If the individual is not able to eradicate the COVID19
virus at this early stage, it moves down into the lungs and it affects the walls of the small arteries that surround the air sacs (also therefore impeding oxygenCO2 exchange), but the story does not end there. COVID 19 can affect the small arteries (endotheliosis) all over the body and cause all sorts of devastating effects in many organs of the body. This is why for example, that a significant number of COVID19 affected people lose their sense of smell and taste capacity because the infection has affected their brain. And then there is “Long COVID”. A significant number of people (about 10%) who get COVID19 infection go on to long term or even permanent disability. They end up with things like long term shortness of breath, chest pain, no sense of smell or taste, joint pains (like arthritis), and cannot walk well or do other physical things like play sport. And the risk of Long Covid is NOT related to the severity of your initial infection morbidity; so even mildly symptomatic cases of COVID
can go on to a ‘Long Covid’ condition disability. So surely best not to get the COVID infection at all!
Q
2. COVID19 gorere na dia gorere aukana, ia na udukuru gorere na heto. Ina hereva na dia momokani. Udukuru gorere na A udubaubau amo ehematamamu gabenai edihomu
taunimanima ena baragi ranu ai ea honuamu. COVID19 gorere danu unu ehematama tomamu, to bema evareaimu taunimanima ena baragi lalonai, taunimanima ena hahodi na baineha dikaia diba. COVID gorere ese oi emu mauri bona tauanimu gaudia haidia danu baineha dika dia diba bena unuamo baineha masemu. Taunimanima numerana hegeregerena 10% COVID gorere eabiamu na bagorere daudau diba. Ini taunimanima na gorere haidia hegeregere laga tuna tuna, keme hisi hisi, eiava mami asi eabimu bona tauani hisi hisi na ediai banoho dau dau diba. Ini taunimanima danu basi e gadara diba, basi gaukara diba, bona gau (aniani) bonadia bona mamidia danu basi e abi diba. Taunimanima momo na ina COVID gorere na ediai basine namo bona ina gorere danu idia tauanidiai baine noho negadaudau ela bona baineha mase dia diba. Ita iboudai ese ina gorere na basita abia hari namo.
Q
3. Taking home remedies (like lemon tea, honey tea, herbs, eating good diet, breathing in steam etc,) this will protect you against getting COVID-19, or help you not to get too sick if you do get the infection?
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There is no scientific evidence that any of these home remedies are effective in either specifically preventing COVID19, or reducing death or disability if you get it. Please do not misunderstand me here: a healthy diet and daily exercise is critical and beneficial to long term good health – especially with the risks of getting cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (Diabetes). And, of course, we all know that those with these kind of co-morbidities are much more at risk of serious morbidity and death from COVID19 infection.Don’t’
Photo by Marcelo Chagas from Pexel
get obese or smoke. Everyone should know their BMI (height/weight ratio), and for good health BMI should be between 18 and 25. And, smoking is the poison that impacts so very detrimentally on ordinary people’s health. From your general health point of view, stopping smoking is possibly the most advantageous thing you can do in your life. There is nothing wrong with drinking hot lemon juice, eating lots of garlic, or taking innocuous herbs, -if this makes you feel good, by all means continue, but do not think that these are proven efficacious alternatives to effective proven strategies like vaccination. And some things like breathing in steam could damage your airways.
Q
3. Inu inu ti dia mai siporo eiava hani ida, bona uma aniani dia, bona ranu siahu mai au raurau ida hegura ese COVID gorere na baineha darerea diba oi emu amo.
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Aonega taudia bona Hosipele Doketa ese egwauraiamu ini aniani bona mauri daladia ese Oi COVID gorere amo basi e koumu bona basi eha namomu. Momokani, aniani namonamo bona tauani iduruna mareredia ese oi tauanimu baine durua diba bona Oi tauanimu baine koua gorere haidia amo, hegeregere suga gorere eiva high blood pressure. Bema Oi daika mai emu suga (diabetes) eiava high blood pressure gorere, Oi na COVID gorere ese baine abi mu haraga diba bona gorere haidia ese danu, hegeregere heart attack bona stroke bona kidney failure. Bema namo tauanimu na basine bauka herea bona siga basio ani. Siga ania momo na COVID gorere iabina dalana. Bema namo siga ania lasi bena ina tanobada ai banoho daudau bona natumu eiava tubumu do sevara gaudia vaira dinadia baita dia. Siporo ti inua bona garlic eiava au raurau ania be namo to basio laloa ini dala ese Oi COVID gorere amo bai eha dareremu vaitani. Dala tamona Oi COVID gorere amo baineha dareremu na COVID muramura bavabia. Hegura Loulou ranu siahu ese Oi emu hahodi varovaro dia baine gabudia diba.
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4. ‘God will protect you’, so just relax God protects us all. But God does not usually do (and we should not expect God to do) what we can do for ourselves. God does not weed our kaukau gardens or deliver bags of rice to our houses. “God helps those who help themselves”. And the view that PNG has a special place in God’s heart, over and above other places is not only gratuitous and spiritually arrogant, but also offensive to other members of God’s family. God also loves and protects Italians and Americans for Heaven’s Sake! Pray to, worship, love, honour and fear God, but do not presume to tell God what to do please. And do not ‘relax’; if you have kids to look after. Make sure you have sufficient resources to do it well (tertiary school fees nowadays are >K10,000 per kid per year), - parents need to focus their minds on the care of their off-spring, not just having them. Also think about the older members of your family who might be at serious risk of morbidity and even death if they get COVID19 infection, - not just yourself and the younger members of the family.
Q 4. Laloa metau lasi, Dirava Lohiabada ese baine reguda. Dirava Lohiabada ese na taunimanima iboudai enaridiamu. To Dirava A Lohiabada ese na basine durudamu bema ita siboda na asi ta henarimu. Dirava Lohiabada ese ita eda aniani umadia na basineha goevadiamu eiava aniani gaudia basine mailai ita eda ruma tata. Dirava Lohiabada na baine hedurudiba bema ita danu siboda baita helaorea. Bema ita na talaloamu Dirava Lohiabada na Papua New Guinea taunimanima dia mo e lalokau henidiamu neganai ita eda lalohadai na dia maoro. Ita na siboda taheato lasimu Dirava Lohiabada vairanai. Dirava Lohiabada na tanobada, hegeregerena Italy bona America taunimanima dia iboudiai danu e lalokau henidiamu. Ita na eda Dirava Lohiabada baita guriguri henia bona baita lalokau henia to basita hamaoroa ita eda ura daladiai baine duruda. Ita na baita goada. Sina bona tama mai natudia maragidia neganai, natudia na baie naridia namo namo bona edia sikuli davadia danu baie ha hegaegae. Ina nega sikuli badadia hegeregere University bona College davadia na moni hetoana K10,000 amo edae, natu ta lagani ta lalonai. Natu ihavarana be mai moale na to natu inarina danu be mai hekwarahi na sina bona tama ediai. Sina bona tama bona natudia na dia idia sibodiamo baie henari, to lagani dia badadia iahudia danu baie lalodia badina be COVID gorere ese laganidia badadia iahudia na bai neha mase dia haraga diba.
Q
5. COVID19 is (overseas) man made and all we have to do is keep foreigners out of PNG and we will be safe.
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COVID19 is a Corona-SARS type virus that made the jump from animals to humans probably in a Wuhan China ‘wet-market’ at the end of 2019. Many infectious agents have made this kind of jump over the centuries – even human HIV infection could have arisen like this in the 1950s or 1960s. There are literally 100s of species of Corona viruses in both humans and various animals. But whatever is the actual source of this COVID19 virus – it is now causing massive community transmission in PNG communities, and keeping foreigners out is not a very useful thing to do at this stage. It was a good strategy in 2020, but things have now changed. Indeed, this one of the things we doctors are realizing with great anxiety – that the situation with regards this epidemic in PNG is changing rapidly, and this means we need change the way we do things almost by the day.
Q
5. COVID19 gorere na taunimanima ese ekaraia una dainai bema ita na tanobada haidia taunimanima dia baita koudia basi ema PNG neganai, ita na baita namo.
A COVID gorere na uda ai enohomu gaudia edia gorere bena gabeai Photo by Lisa Fotios from Pexel
taunimanima ediai ehanai. Doketa badadia bona gorere dikadia hetahua taudia edia lalohadai be COVID gorere na Wuhan makedi ai, China lalonai evara lagani 2019 lalonai. Guna neganai gorere idau idau danu taunimanima edia ekau dala ini bamodiai hegeregere na HIV-AIDS lagani 1950 eiava 1960 lalodiai. Guna nega nai COVID hegeregere na gorere dia haidia danu eda varidia uda gaudia bona taunimanima edia. COVID gorere ena mai gabuna na basi ta laloa badabada to ina gorere ena metau bona ita eda hanua ta ta lalodiai vada evareaimu hari baita laloa badabada. Tanobada haidia taunimanima dia ikoudia basi ema PNG lagani 2020 lalonai be readia namo to ina nega lalonai, COVID gorere na ita eda tanobada lalonai vada mia una dainai tanobada haidia taunimanima dia ikoudia basi evareai PNG tanobada lalonai na ita na basine duruda dibamu. Doketa badadia ese vada edibaiamu ina gorere ena marere na eidau mu. Ina gorere na vada ebada mu dainai ita eda noho mauri dia danu baita ha idau dia bona eda gavamani bona doketa badadia danu ina gorere ikouna daladia baie tahudia.
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6. COVID 19 is not as bad as HIV, TB, Malaria etc. and therefore we should just focus on these serious health and medical problems and not be too focused on COVID19. is ‘bad’ – just like HIV, TB, A COVID19 Malaria, cancer etc. are bad. But all these other ‘bad’ medical conditions are often treatable. There is good medicine nowadays to keep HIV infected people healthy for decades so that they can lead a normal life. There is very effective treatment for TB: the reason that so many people die from TB is that they give up on their treatment as soon as they start feeling better, and then your TB bacteria becomes resistant to our standard treatment medicine. When TB patients then get worse again, and resume their treatment, it no longer works. We can also treat most cancers well, as long as you present at the very early stage of the disease. However, there is NO effective treatment for COVID19; if you get sick with your COVID19 infection, the best we can do is prevent over-reaction of your body to inflammation and give you supplementary oxygen (if the oxygen concentration in ordinary air is insufficient to keep you alive) – and until (hopefully) your body develops sufficient immunity to the virus. Doctors are not giving up on treating HIV, TB, cancer, and other health and medical problems, - but COVID19 is making it harder for us to do everything. Please help us to cope – by not propagating conspiracy theories, by following ‘niupela pasin’, and getting ready to get the vaccine when it is available. Health workers are also human beings, and many are getting depressed and
frustrated by the continuous barrage of ‘bullshit’ that is appearing in social media.
Photo by Binti Malu from Pexel
Q
6. COVID19 gorere na dia gorere auka hegeregere HIV, TB, eiava Malaria gorere dia edia auka na heto una dainai it ana ini gorere haidia ediai baita laloa badabada a dia COVID19 gorere na ai.
A
COVID gorere na dia gorere namona. PNG na mai eda gorere bada dia haidia hegeregere HIV, TB, malaria bona cancer. To ini gorere bada dia haidia na mai iha namo dia muramura dia hegeregere HIV-AIDS gorere na mai iha namo na muramura na ladana ART. HIV-AIDS gorere eabia taudia na ina ART muramura ese edia noho lagani mauri dia baineha daudau dia diba. TB gorere danu mai ena muramura. TB gorere taudia emase mu badina edia muramura na seabi namonamo mu dainai. Cancer gorere danu, doketa ese baie durua diba bema cancer gorere taudia hosipele baie kau ina toto do maraginai to nega momo, toto na vada bada herea gabeai hosipele elaomu. To COVID gorere na asi muramura na. Doketa ese hosipele ai hahodi durua gaudia baie henimu diba lalonai oi tauanimu ese COVID gorere baine kokia. Hosipele doketa dia bona gaukara taudia na eheduru va gorere haidia hegeregere TB, HIV, cancer bona gorere haidia iboudia, to COVID gorere numera emebada neganai hosipele eme maragi bona doketa edia gaukara danu eme auka. Bema gorere taudia numera na baine bada herea neganai Doketa bona nes edia gaukara na baine auka herea. Una dai nai idia idurudia na ita taunimanima danu COVID gorere taravatu dia na baita badina dia bema ina COVID gorere baita darerea. Ita taunimanima ese hereva koikoi dia COVID gorere dainai basi ta gwaurai (hegeregere na internet bona facebook ai vada elasimu), gavamani ena mauri mata mata daladia baita mauri, bona COVID gorere ikouna hekodo dia baita abi. Hosipele doketa bona nes dia danu asi euramu hereva koikoi dia taunimanima haidia ese egwaurai diamu internet bona facebook ai.
Q
7. The COVID vaccines are ‘not safe’
vaccines have all gone through rigorous and standard A COVID testing. It is true that this process has been done faster than usual, but it has been done properly. Instead of believing that the testing has not been done properly, we should be thankful for the sleepless nights, the working 24/7 of laboratories all over the world and the scientists who have possibly not had time to see their families much for months on end – and that this process has been done as an emergency. Because this epidemic is possibly the major health emergency of this century. 21 million people died in the Influenza pandemic of 1918-1920 – do we really want this kind of death toll in this pandemic? One vaccine development was halted because of concerns about safety in the phase 2 trials – this was the one being developed by the Queensland Institute of Medical Research. But all the other vaccines (Oxford AZ, Moderna, Pfizzer, Johnson and Johnson) have passed through the 3 phases of research process and been found to be safe. (The rest of the world does not have information about the Russian Sputnik or the Chinese vaccines – as these country’s research processes are not so transparent.) In European countries (particularly Norway, UK etc.) there is very close and Photo by cottonbro from Pexel
strict monitoring of vaccine use (and all new medicine use), even after the safety and efficacy trials have been completed. And, if there is the slightest hint of any dangerous side effects revealed by roll outs, then there are further thorough investigations made. This is what happened last week when there was concern raised by European doctors that the Oxford AZ vaccine could be associated with an increased risk of blood clots. This issue was thoroughly investigated, and in fact data shows there is a higher rate of blood clots in the unvaccinated group of people in Europe. The ‘European Agency for (monitoring) Medicines’ declared that the Oxford AZ vaccine was in fact safe for use throughout Europe on 19.3.21., and Spain, France, Germany etc. have resumed use of this vaccine in their vaccination campaigns. The idea that we in PNG need to repeat all the research is plainly ridiculous. And in PNG we just do not have the capacity to do detailed and thorough monitoring like the Europeans can. People who make these kind of suggestions either do not believe PNGeans are members of the human species, or have no idea of research protocols and monitoring procedures.
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7. COVID muramura na dia nanamo? COVID muramura na ekaradia aonega taunimanima bona doketa bada dia Europe, England bona America tanobada ai. Bena ina muramura na taunimanima momo edia ai etohoa vaitani. Idia ese ina gaukara bada hereana vada ekaraia badina be ina COVID gorere na tanobada ibounai vada eabia. Guna lagani 1918 lalonai gorere aukana ta ese tanobada lalonai taunimanima numera 21 milion vada eha mase dia. Ina nega taunimanima di ana una lagani 1918 ai evara kara na ma basi ne vara lou una dai nai ina COVID gorere muramura na ekaraia haraga. Ini tanobada gavamani ese vada eha momokania, idia edia taunimanima na COVID gorere muramura na baie abia haraga. Ina nega lalonai, taunimanima numera 400 milion vada unu tanobada ai ina COVID gorere muramura hekodo vada eabia. Ini tanobada lalodia COVID muramura vada eabia taunimanima diana edia gavamani ese eitadia taomu badina seuramu edia taunimanima naini muramura siahu dikadia ese baie ha gorere dia. Ina COVID muramura eabia mu murinai haidia na hekodo eabi gabudi ai hisi tai dia emamimu bona tauani siahu eiava hemai hemai emamimu. Ita eda taunimanima haidia vada mai diba dia Europe tanobada amo taunimanima ta, taunimanima 1 million lalona amo tauani na rara na vada e auka COVID muramura hekodo murinai. Edia gavamani ena hetahu amo edavaria ina tauani rara e aukamu na dia ina COVID muramura na amo. Ina murinai, Europe tanobada lalonai France, Germany, Italy bona Spain edia gavamani ese ini COVID muramura dia na ma eha momoknai dia edia taunimanima ese baie abidia lou. Ita PNG na ini COVID gorere muramura hetahu gaukara dia na ma basita kara lou badina tanobada haidia ese vada ekaradia bena muramura dia edavari dia COVID gorere na baine ha namoa diba. Bona ita PNG na asi eda laboratory be hegeregere mu ina COVID gorere muramura itahuna gaukara na ai. Taunimanima haidia ese hereva kavakava dia Facebook ai ekaramu, to idia na asidiba dia doketa edia hetahu gaukaradia dala dia bena idia ese elaloamu PNG taunimanima dia na dia hegeregere tanobada taunimanima dia haida na heto.
Q
8. The COVID vaccines are being brought to PNG so that they can be tested on us PNGeans as ‘guinea pigs’
A
As of this week over 100 million doses of the vaccines have been rolled out in the USA – with minimal side effects and good efficacy, and in Europe 25 million doses have been given – including 15 million doses of the Oxford AZ vaccine. The protection against death and serious morbidity that these vaccines provides is between 65% and 95% - depending upon the vaccine and the type of COVID19 that you get. This is why we convinced the Australians to help us get an advanced shipment of 8000 doses (that will arrive next week), because we desperately need to protect our front-line health workers, who are at enormous risk to themselves personally, and their families, by continuing to provide health and medical care. These doses will not be available to ordinary members of the community – your chance of getting the vaccine will be next month when the rest of the shipment allocated for PNG arrives. Of course, vaccination will be voluntary, but I would advice any person over the age of 18 years to be keen and jump at the opportunity to have their body’s immunity boosted by this well researched, safe and effective vaccine. If you decide not to get the vaccine and then you get sick from COVID19, you may reflect on your decision, but there is nothing we can do at this point to save you if you are destined for a serious morbidity or mortal version of the COVID19 disease.
Q
8. COVID muramura na emai laia PNG, bena ita edai ba tohoa hegeregere na ita PNG taunimanima da na ubu ubu gaudia (guinea-pig) na heto.
A
Hua March 2021, America tanobada taunimanima dia numera 397 milion COVID muramura hekodo vada eabi. Ini taunimanima iboudiai ina hekodo eabia na COVID gorere ikou na dainai bona idia ta ese ina hekodo muramura siahu dikana ta semamia ekodo dia murinai. Europe tanobada lalonai taunimanima numera 40 milion COVID muramura ladana Oxford AZ wan vada eabia. Ina muramura danu ita PNG ese baita abia mu. Australia tanobada gavamani danu numera 20 milion COVID gorere muramura hekodo edia taunimanima eheni dia ina gorere ikouna dainai. Ina COVID muramura na edavaria mai goadana bona COVID gorere taunimanima dia momo eha namo dia – hegeregere na bema oi ese ina COVID muramura na boabiamu neganai basio mase mu. Ita eda gavamani ese Australia gavmani vada eno ia bema namo idia ese COVID gorere muramura ai bema duruda bena ita eda hosipele ai egaukara mu doketa bona nes dia numera 8000 hegeregere, ina gorere amo tama koudia badina momo vada eabidia eiava e mase. Ita eda gavamani ese ina gorere muramura dia momo ma baie mailaidia neganai ita eda taunimanima momo danu baita koudia diba. Ita eda Doketa enoinoi mu bema ini Photo by rfstudio from Pexel
muramura baie ginidae neganai, oi daika lagani mu 18 years na ina muramura bame abia in COVID gorere ikouna dai nai.
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9. The COVID vaccines are not necessary in PNG at this time An MP passed away from COVID19 this week, 20 doctors at PMGH have tested positive and some of them have serious disease and have needed oxygen therapy to assist breathing, (as well as many other members of the community), - 40 of whom have now died (this is an increase from just 10 last month). We are in an exponential upsurge phase of this deadly infection. We can try and slow it with some partial lockdowns, SOEs and rigorous application of ‘niupela pasin’, but it will continue to rage for months to come. There might be enormous spikes of infections in Wewak and Port Moresby because of the super-spreader event that we had participated in recently. The coming weeks and months will be crucial. The vaccine will provide protection to vulnerable people, - ie front line health workers, those over the age of 55 years, those with co-morbidities (like raised BP, impaired glucose tolerance, obesity, smokers, TB, HIV etc.) One problem for us in PNG is that many people do not know if they have raised blood pressure, glucose intolerance, or have taken note of what their BMI is. I would urge everybody to stop smoking, and if you are over the age of 40 years, get a blood pressure and blood glucose check. You can work out your own BMI by dividing your height in metres squared into your weight in Kg; if your BMI is more than 25, stop eating rice na olgeta gris kaikai, drinking store drinks, and start doing exercise to reduce your weight with healthy garden food based diet, and exercise to lose weight down to your ideal weight. And if there are enough doses of the vaccine, then younger people may also get the chance to receive the vaccine too, because you have a low risk of serious morbidity or death there is still a small chance (see the statistics of risk quoted in point 1 above).
Q
9. Itana COVID muramura hekodo na asi taura heniamu PNG ai ina nega lalonai.
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Ita eda PNG gavamani lalonai memba taunata vada madi emase COVID gorere amo. Port Moresby General hosipele ai, doketa numera 20 bamona eda varidia mai edia COVID gorere bena ini doketa momo vada madi edia mauri eauka badaherea una dainai hahodi gaudia ai eatodia. Vanega hua gunanai, taunimanima 20 COVID gorere amo e mase. COVID gorere vada e bada mu ita eda tanobada ai, una dai nai ita eda gavamani ena taravatu hegeregere dia Lock-down, State of Emergency bona Mauri mata mata COVID gorere daina, ekaradia mu to ina gorere na do unu ebadamu hua momo lalo dia ai. Readia COVID numera na bema dae Wewak bona Port Moresby ai badina taunimanima momo ehebou una neganai PNG ena Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare ena funeral service lalonai. Hua ia hanina (April) bai ne gini dae neganai una na hua dikana PNG lalonai. COVID muramura ese ita eda taunimanima momo baine duru dia diba hegeregere hosipele ai egaukaramu taudia, oi daika lagani 55 years
edai, eiava daika mai ena gorere haidia hegeregere high blood pressure, suga gorere, tauani bauka, siga ania, bona mai edia TB eiva HIV gorere taudia. Ita eda taunimanima momo be asi dibadia idia be mai edia high blood pressure eiava suga gorere na. Daika siga oi ania be namo oi hadokoa, bona lagani mu 40 years be namo oi emu high blood pressure bona suga level bema seke dia oi emu rara bona mei ai. Sikele gauna ladana BMI na numera ta, ia bina dalana na oi emu metau kilogram ai ba divide ia oi emu lata mitre ai. Bema oi emu BMI na 25, oi na metau herea dainai aniani dika dia hegeregere rice, girisi aniani dia, bona inuinu gaudia, coke eiva fanta na basio ani dia to tauani iha Namona marere dia bakara emu bauka baine maragi. Memero bona kekeni maragidia na ina COVID gorere ese basineha gorere dia bada bada mu. Bema ita eda COVID muramura na hegeregere nagani ita eda memero bona kekeni maragidia danu ina muramura baie abia.
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10. The COVID vaccines are ‘not effective’. All the COVID19 vaccines are VERY effective, - in fact the protection given is between 65 and 95% (see above). The research is clear. It amazes me that intelligent people with access to the internet just use it to access conspiracy theories and porn, and do not bother to look at the world-wide evidence about things that could mean the difference between life and death! Sorry, getting a bit frustrated here with some of my compatriots. Health workers are risking their lives to continue to provide health services, and many people are just spending their time on screens accusing us of unethical practice, criminal and corrupt misuse of government funds and putting forward false, ridiculous, unfounded conspiracy theories for which there is no evidence.
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10. COVID muramura hekodo na asi goadana.
muramura na muramura aukadia bona COVID gorere na A COVID baine koua diba taunimanima tauani namo, numera 65% eiava 95% hegeregere na ina gorere basie abia diba. Aonega taudia ese ini muramura na etahudia bena eha momokani dia COVID gorere ikouna dainai. Nega momo, lau nalalohadaimu dahaka dainai ita eda aonega taunimanima haidia komputa ai euramu hereva bona laulau koikoi dia baie ita dia bona ha momokani dia internat ai. Bema namo, ini aonega taunimanima dia na COVID gorere muramura dia tanobada haidia lalodia edia taunimanima e kododiamu bona e ha namo diamu sivaraidia bema ita diamu. Lau na asi name moale ita PNG eda aonega taunimanima dia ediai. Hosipele gaukara taunimanima dia na mai lalokau dia ida egaukaramu badina euramu ita eda gavamani ena health gaukaradia na baie namo. To taunimanima haidia ese ai hosipele ai agaukaramu taunimanima mai na social media ai egwau henimaimu koikoi hereva dia bona lalohadai dikadia ai.
Q 11. Are we going to have vaccine options for people to choose from in PNG? should be reassured that all around the world people are not being A PNGeans offered choice of vaccine type. Either you get the vaccine that is available at the time, or there are national protocols for the use of one or two vaccines. In India you only get AZ vaccine, in UK and Australia it is AZ vaccine for older people and Pfizzer for younger ones, in the USA it is Moderna or J&J or AZ Photo by cottonbro from Pexel
depending upon availability in the place (State) you live. There are basically two types of COVID 19 vaccines that have been produced. mRNA vaccines that deliver a protein (that mimics the virus infection) to our immune cells, this provokes them into producing neutralizing antibodies against the virus. And vector vaccines that use a harmless and deactivated virus to which has been bound the COVID spike proteins. Our immune cells then start making neutralizing antibodies against the spike proteins of the COVID 19 thereby preventing natural infection. The mRNA vaccines need to be stored at -70 degrees; we only have one fridge in PNG (at the Institute of Medical Research in Goroka) that can store at this very low temperature. Therefore, mRNA vaccines (like Pfizzer and Moderna) will not be feasible for vaccine roll out in PNG. The Oxford AZ vaccine can be stored well at normal vaccine storage temperatures: this is the main reason that it will be used in PNG. This is not a problem as research shows that Oxford AZ vaccine is one of the most effective.
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11. Ita eda tanobada PNG lalonai COVID19 muramura dia na deme momo, una dainai ita eda taunimanima ese ini muramura lalodiamo ta do idia abia hidi be namo? Tanobada hegegemadae lalonai, edia taunimanima na asiedia maoro ura ta baie karaia edena COVID19 muramura na baie abia. Idiana edia gavamani ese ehamomokania COVID19 mura mura na mo baie abia, eiava enohomu gabunai edena COVID19 muramura eginidae gauna baie abia. Australia bona UK tanobada lalodiai edia taunimanima lagani dia badadia bona iahudia na Oxford AZ muramura ehenidiamu. Bema edia taunimanima lagani di ana 50 years ediho neganai Pfizzer muramura ehenidiamu. India tanobada lalonai na Oxford AZ muramura mo ehenidiamu. USA tanobada lalonai na Moderna, J&J bona Oxford AZ muramura ehenidiamu bame ini muramura toi lalodiai ta na una gabu (State) ai eginidae neganai. COVID muramura na mai edia muramura idaudia lalodiai, to COVID muramura dia bema baita abidiamu neganai ita tauanida baine goada ina COVID19 gorere baita kokia diba. COVID muramura haidia na paraka gabudiai (paraka makana 70 degrees) lalodiai bamia, to ini paraka hegeregere kohudia na lasi PNG lalonai. Una dainai, muramura ini hetomadia na dia nanamo PNG baiemailaidia. Oxford AZ muramura be namo badina ita eda paraka kohudia lalodiai na baine namo hegeregere na maragidia edia kiliniki hekodo na heto. 12. What should you expect to feel when you get your COVID vaccine injections? About 30% feel only the prick of the needle and nothing much at all later on. About 30% get a bit of pain and swelling at the injection site, and 30% get a few days of fever or feeling unwell (lethargic) or swollen glands under the upper arm (armpit). If you get any unpleasant symptoms after your vaccine injection you should take 2 Panadol and have a rest for a couple of days. Only about 1 out of 200,000 vaccine injections will get a blood clot problem. As we are only planning to give about this number of total vaccinations we should only expect about one person to get this problem. And as only one person in 1 million vaccinations actually die from the blood clot problem, we should not expect any deaths at all in PNG from vaccine related blood clots.
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12. COVID muramura oi abia murinai be ede do oi hemami toma?
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13. Why are some younger people being advise against getting Oxford AZ vaccine in Australia and some other countries, and offering the younger people another vaccine like Pfizzer?
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Taunimanima numera na 30% hegeregere, na hemami dikana ta asie abia COVID muramura hekodo murina. Taunimanima numera na 30% hegeregere na hisi maragidia emami hekodo eabi gabunai. Taunimanima numera na 30% hegeregere na, na tauani hisi hisi bona gorere ese eabidia. Bema COVID muramura oi abia murinai tauani his hisi bona gorere oi abia neganai Panadol oi inua bona oi laga ani dina ta eiva rua hegeregere na. Taunimanima haidia egwaumu rara na baine auka diba bema COVID muramura oi abia neganai. Ina na baine vara diba taunimanima ta enai bema taunimanima numera 200,000 COVID muramura baie abia neganai. Ita na ta basita mase dibamu bema COVID muramura baita abiamu, badina be tanobada haidia lalodiai na taunimanima ta mo emase taunimanima numera 1 million lalonai ina rara auka gorere amo.
The answer to this question is all about risk analysis. I see in PNG that many people have a very poor understanding of statistical risk; most people make personal decisions based upon what has happened to themselves in the past, or what has happened to a relative or wantok in similar circumstances. Risk in the COVID 19 epidemic is very dependent on whether there is COVID transmission in your community and a little bit on whether there are vaccine options available. If the risk of getting COVID 19 is high (as it is in UK and PNG) then the risk of the disease is much more than that of any rare serious side effects of the vaccine. The risk of getting a blood clot side effect is 1 out of 200,000 people vaccinated , and chance of dying from this clot problem 1 out of 1 million (ie one fifth of those who get the blood clot problem die). If you get COVID 19 severe disease, then your risk of getting a life threatening blood clot is 16% (ie 1 in 8, and again one fifth of these patients will die = 1-2% or 10,000 per 1 million seriously ill COVID patients). So risk analysis is clear – 1 out of 1 million of vaccinated people may die from vaccine side effects, and 10,000 out of 1 million people who get sick from COVID 19 may die from complications of the disease if you do not get vaccinated. So the ‘choice’ is between the risk of dying 1 out of 100 (unvaccinated), and 1 out of 1 million if we get vaccinated. If we go into more details of the risk analysis, the chance of dying from COVID 19 disease is greater if you are older, and the chance of getting blood clot side effects is a little bit more if you are a younger female. See below from some relative risks of getting blood clots comparing COVID vaccination, taking the FP pill for one year, smoking for 1 year and getting COVID 19 disease. Best not to get COVID infection (ie get vaccinated to prevent getting COVID disease), and do not smoke. [The risk of pregnancy itself is much greater than taking the FP pill to prevent pregnancy.] However, all this risk analysis is not very relevant to PNG because • In PNG we will only have about 1 million doses of the vaccine available for our population of 10 million (ie. enough for only 10% of our population). • The priority groups to be offered the vaccine to begin with will be front line health workers, older people (over the age of 50 years), and people with risk factors (diabetes, blood pressure problems, heart or lung disease of any age). • If the above people do not use up the all the doses of vaccine available, then it will be possible for younger people to be vaccinated as well.
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13. Dahaka dainai tanobada haidia lalodiai Oxford AZ muramura na seheni mu taunimanima lagani dia 50 years ediho (Australia ai) eiava 30 years ediho (UK ai) to Pfizzer muramura na hari ehenidiamu? Ina henanadai iha louna na taunimanima edia haero haero be edebamona bema nega dikana eiva namona ta baine ginidae. Lau ese name dibaia, ita eda tanobada PNG lalonai, ita eda taunimanima momo na asi dibadia dika eiva namo iha erona diba: taunimanima momo na edia ai evara guna gauna eiva edia bese eiava bamodia ta enai evara guna gauna amo edia lalohadai ehereva laiamu. COVID19 gorere ena dika eiva namo iha erona na bema ina gorere na ita eda hanua lalodiai eiava ina gorere na mai muramura na ta. Bema COVID19 iabina na haraga herea hegeregere na UK bona PNG ai neganai ina gorere ena metau na siahu herea ini muramura edia dika haidia ediai. Rara auka gorere ena dika haidia iabina na taunimanima tamona mo baine abi bema COVID19 muramura hekodo eabia taunimanima 200,000 lalonai bona ini dika haidia mo baie mase na taunimanima tamona taunimanima 1 million lalonai (una na taunimanima hegeregere one fifth mo baie mase ina rara auka gorere na mo). Bema oi COVID 19 gorere bavabia neganai, oi na ina rara auka gorere ena dika iabina sanisi na numera 16% (una na 1 in 8 bona ma gorere taunimanima hegeregere one fifth na ba mase hegeregere numera 1-2% eiava 10,000 per 1 million COVID gorere dikadika taunimanima dia). Vada dika eiava namo iha erona na lailai herea – taunimanima 1 out of 1 million COVID muramura eabia taudia na baie mase diba ini muramura edia dika haidia ai bona 10,000 out of 1 million taunimanima COVID19 gorere baie abia na baie mase diba bema idia na COVID19 muramura hekodo basie abia neganai. Vada ura be mase hetoa na taunimanima 1 out 100 (COVID muramura hekodo seabi) eiava taunimanima 1 out of 1 million bema COVID19 muramura hekodo baita abia neganai. Bema ina COVID19 gorere baita itaia namo namo neganai, lagani dia bada eiava iahudia na baie mase haraga, bona rara auka gorere iabina na haraga bema oi na kekeni matamata. Ini haheitalaia herevadia na rara auka gorere na iha hegeregere na COVID muramura bona lagani ta lalonai FP pill bavabia bona lagani ta kuku bavani bona COVID19 gorere bavabia. Bema namo COVID19 gorere na basioma abia (una na COVID19 muramura hekodo na bavabia) bona kuku basio ani. [Hahine edi ai beibi iabi haraga na bada herea FP pill abia beibi abia lasi totona.] Ini haheitalaia herevadia edia metau na PNG ai na dia __ badina ba: • PNG gavamani ese 1 million COVID19 muramura baine havara PNG ena taunimanima numerana 10 million (una na ini muramura na ita eda taunimanima hegeregere na 10% mo babimu). • PNG ena taunimanima ini COVID19 muramura bai eabi na hosipele ai COVID19 gorere enaridiamu doketa bona nes, lagani dia 50 years edai iahudia, bona taunimanaima mai edia gorere haidia hegeregere suga gorere, high blood pressure, kudou eiva baragi dika. • Taunimanima laganidia 49 years edoho na dounu ini COVID19 muramura baie abi bema ini muramura na mai gaudia.
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14. Can the vaccine alter our DNA and cause us to become robots or directed by Satan?
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The vaccine cannot change the DNA of your cells. Do not believe the conspiracy theories being propagated by overseas White Supremacist and
Satanic groups that are saying these things. They are just not true. The vaccine just gives a memory to your immune cells to make neutralizing antibodies that protect you against COVID 19 infection – em tasol. So why are why are White Supremacist groups trying to convince black people to be anti-vaccination? This is because they are hoping that black people will not get vaccinated and therefore not be protected against this virus – if they succeed, then many more black people will die when the virus really gets into Africa, Asia and PNG (already millions are dying in India.) And why are the Satanists trying to convince Christians not to get vaccinated? This is because they want to show that Satan is a strong force that can take over people even when they claim to be Christians. Those PNGeans who believe the lie of the Satanists that the vaccine can put Satan into you – are just gullible people with a superstitious kind of belief. True believers of the Christian faith will have faith in the intelligence and inventions of scientists and doctors: because all things that medical science produces for the good of humanity come from God.
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14. Ini COVID19 muramura ese do ita tauanida DNA na baineha dikaia bona diabolo ena maka do ita abia diba?
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COVID19 muramura ese oi tauanimu DNA na basineha dikaia eiava haidaua diba. Taunimanima haidia edia koikoi herevadia basio kamonai dia. Hegeregere na taunimanima haidia egwaumu taukurokuro ese ita tauanida korema taunimanima dia euramu baie alada ina COVID19 muramura amo. Ini muramura na ekaradia oi raramu baie durudia bona baie hagoa dadia bena gorere dikadia bona aukadia hegeregere na COVID baine koudia. Dahaka dainai tau kurokuro (bona ita eda taunimanima haidia danu) ita hereva koikoi ai e koudamu ini muramura basi tabi? Bema ita eda taunimanima ini hereva koikoi baie ha momokani bena ini muramura basie abi neganai, ina COVID gorere ese ita na baineha mase da diba. Dahaka dainai ita eda taunimanima Dirava enai eabidada ma mu ese ini muramura basi e abi dia dae? Taunimanima haidia na do idia gwau ini muramura na tau kurokuro edia koikoi dala na ta diabolo ena maka baie henida. Readia ini taunimanima na sene gaukaradia dikadia ai eabidadama mu. Dirava enai eabidadamu taunimanima dia na mai dibadia aonega na Dirava ena amo ema. Dirava ese tanobada ai aonega taudia bona doketa edia ai ini muramura ikaradia aonega dia bona dala dia eaheitalai dia bena idia ese tanobada taunimanima dia baie regudia, hegeregere na Ia natuna Iesu Keriso ese hahemauri gaukaradia ekara ina tanobada ai badine be taunimanima edurumuamu gau dia iboudiai na Dirava ena amo ema.
Photo by cottonbro from Pexel
Ita eda vaira dina dia balaloa bena oi sibomu bahenari guna Imamu bahuridia nega iboudiai oloamu gabudia hegeregere taoni ai eiva ruma murimuri na ai. Imamu na 20 seconds hetoana lalonai bahuri dia. Udumu bona kurumu ikouahudia dabua na nega iboudiai bakaraia oloamu gabudia iboudiai. Okaraiamu neganai udumu bona kurumu bakoudia namo namo. Bema oloamu hutuma lalodiai neganai oi bona dekemu tauna padamui na bakaraia. Basio raka kahi kahi herea. Bema oi na tauani siahu bona lagamu etunamu bona ohua aukamu neganai, ruma ai banoho bena hosipele doketa dia eiava hanua kiliniki ai egaukaramu taudia ese bai eme sekemu. COVID19 gorere sivarai eiava hereva momokani dia hari badibadia bona bakamonai dia. Ina Buka na COVID19 gorere hereva momokani dia eha hedibalaimu. Taunimanima asi edia diba ina COVID19 gorere ediamo sivarai koikoi na basio kamonai. Published by the Melanesian Foundation in consultation with Prof. Glen Mola Paradise Hospital and PNG Institute of Medical Research, National Control Centre, University of Papua New Guinea, Divine Word University, PNG Medical Doctors and the Australian Government.
