Sri Lanka has implemented one of the most successful vaccination programs in the world which is no small feat, considering the huge global vaccine shortage and inequity. The government should be lauded for its achievement in sourcing and procuring vaccines and for the speed and efficiency of the successive rollouts. After over a year and a half of this dreaded pandemic and with everything we know about the virus, what it does to our bodies and how it spreads, you’d think anyone with any sense or even half a brain cell would be lining up to take the first available vaccine, but sadly dear reader they’re not. We seem to have hot a rather large stumbling block.

The vaccination centres, as daily press reports suggest, are damningly empty, the 20 - 29 age group are seemingly uninterested in getting their jabs. This is an age group that will pretty much snort, pop or inject anything that’s put in front of them, except for the vaccine it would seem. But why? Put bluntly a lot of ill-informed, absurdly scare-mongered, deluded or simply complacent young Sri Lankans seem to think that either the Covid vaccines are somehow more dangerous than Covid itself, or the virus isn't serious enough to warrant protection from it and that they don’t need to be responsible or do their part, and sadly this will just prolong the pandemic and our recovery.

To be fair it's not only them, there are approximately 200,000 over 60’s who’ve decided not to get vaccinated. This is an extremely high-risk group many of whom will likely die from Covid, as our daily death statistics have shown, especially if they have any co-morbidities, like diabetes, kidney disease or heart disease. These people refuse to get vaccinated but will happily trust science, doctors, medicine and overcrowd hospitals and ICU’s when they get Covid19. Sadly, many of them will also die, probably wishing they had taken the vaccine when they had the chance to, as we hear of so many stories from here and around the world of anti-vaxxers death bed regret.

This lunatic behavior of shunning life-saving WHO approved jabs will very likely snatch covid defeat from the jaws of vaccinated victory with their conspiracy-theory garbage and medical misinformation. So many people have given up their lives and livelihoods, living under lockdowns, and we’re on the verge of possibly winning this battle if not for this mind numbingly stupid bunch of people who won’t get vaccinated for reasons like; “Eew that vaccine is made in China, don’t take it,” (racist and ignorant much?) “Aiyo bro, I’ve heard it will make you sterile,” (If you believe that then maybe you shouldn’t have kids anyway). “It’s Pfizer or nothing for me,” (well not nothing, possibly death!)

What are the benefits of getting a COVID-19 vaccine?

A COVID-19 vaccine might:

• Prevent you from getting COVID-19 or from becoming seriously ill or dying due to COVID-19;
• Prevent you from spreading the COVID-19 virus to others;
• Add to the number of people in the community who are protected from getting COVID-19, making it harder for the disease to spread and contributing to herd immunity;
• Prevent the COVID-19 virus from spreading and replicating, which allows it to mutate and possibly become more resistant to vaccines;

Source: Mayo Clinic

Covid-19 Vaccines Myths vs. Facts

MYTH: The COVID-19 vaccine will give me Covid19.

FACT: Vaccines do not give you a disease. Instead, they teach your body's immune system to recognize and fight the infection they have been designed to protect against. Some people do experience mild to moderate symptoms after being vaccinated. This is not the disease itself, but the body's response to the vaccine.

MYTH: The COVID-19 vaccine can affect fertility.

FACT: The COVID-19 vaccine will not affect fertility. The truth is that the COVID-19 vaccine encourages the body to create copies of the spike protein found on the coronavirus’s surface. This “teaches” the body’s immune system to fight the virus that has that specific spike protein on it.

Source: John Hopkins Medicine

MYTH: Vaccines are not safe.

FACT:

• Licensing of a vaccine requires exhaustive evaluation and testing to make sure that it is both safe and effective.
• Every batch of vaccine is controlled separately.
• Following pre-qualification and licensing WHO continues to monitor the vaccine, and any serious side effect reported is thoroughly investigated.

Source: WHO

“The furious determination of so many supposedly intelligent people to refuse to be vaccinated against covid19 is staggering, incredibly stupid and deeply depressing,” Piers Morgan.