Malta currently has 252 active cases, most of which are unvaccinated. The three hospitalised COVID-19 patients are also unvaccinated. Through the vaccine, which the health ministry has highlighted as the most effective and possibly sole weapon against the virus, Malta’s health care system eased on its pressures. It also allowed for herd immunity to be achieved on March 24th 2021.
Vaccine hesitancy still plays a huge role against the rollout of the jab. Many still fear possible side effects, seeing the jab as a risky experiment upon oneself. However, the current epidemiological situation in Malta points to the vaccine doing its intended job. It is far riskier to experiment with the possibility of getting infected with COVID-19 which has immense, possibly fatal, repercussions.
The effort is also a collective one. Herd immunity can only be maintained if more people are vaccinated. Not getting the jab runs the risk of letting variants mutate and become more difficult to contain, rendering the fought for herd immunity useless.
The medical enterprise’s work on making the jab safe and effective has saved countless lives. Developing immunity through vaccination means there is a reduced risk of developing the illness. It also protects people around you, as you are less likely to spread the virus to someone else. This is crucial for vulnerable people during a pandemic.
Reports of adverse side effects and death following receiving the COVID-19 vaccine are rare. More than 331 million doses of the jab were administered in the USA from December 14th 2020 and July 6th 2021. The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) reported 0.0018% deaths among people who received a vaccine. Despite this, the FDA still requires healthcare providers to report any death after COVID-19 vaccination to VAERS, even if, it is unclear whether the vaccine was the cause.
For those still hesitant, consultations are still highly recommended to ensure safety and also ease the fear that comes with vaccination. But for the general population, for which the vaccine has proved to be effective and safe, the jab is essential in our path back to normalcy.
Here are some resources for any other vaccine questions and COVID-19 related information:
Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System
#MaltaDaily
Photo Source: Stat News
