Rumors and myths about vaccination

Most worrying is mistrust in the vaccine, which he attributes to misinformation.

Santo Domingo, DR

Contrary to some rumors or popular beliefs, the vaccine against Covid-19 does not cause symptoms to appear in an asymptomatic person; it can be given 14 days after having overcome the virus, without the need to wait three months; a moderate amount of alcoholic drink is not contraindicated during the first 72 hours after being vaccinated, and the vaccine does not intervene in the human genome.

These are some of the curiosities and concerns frequently expressed by people of different ages in the country about the vaccine against Covid-19, which is applied to those over 18 years of age, to which Dr. José Brea del Castillo, pediatrician-infectious disease specialist, and vaccine expert, responded during the “Cita con el Covid” broadcast last night by listindiario.com, under the direction of its director Miguel Franjul and journalist Doris Pantaleón.

The specialist also clarified that having the two doses of vaccine against Covid-19 does not mean that the person is free from being infected by the virus if he/she neglects the preventive measures of masks, distancing, and hygiene. However, it is proven that it reduces the risk of complications, the need to be hospitalized, go to the ICU, or be connected to respirators.

Dr. Brea del Catillo also made it very clear that people who suffer from allergies can be vaccinated against Covid-19 without any problem and that it is only limited to those people who have had strong allergic reactions to vaccines that have been previously administered against other diseases or to the first dose of the vaccine against the coronavirus.

He said that the recommendations of not drinking alcohol for three days after being vaccinated are to measure any effect. Still, it does not mean that if the person does it with moderation and responsibility, the vaccine can harm him/her.

Also, that people wait 14 days of quarantine to get the Covid vaccine or any other disease. He explained that officially three months is recommended because you have protection for that time, but not because you will have complications.

He pointed out that infants can also be vaccinated and that the vaccine does not sterilize the woman.

More variables
He said that the faster people get vaccinated with their two doses, the quicker the country will control the virus. The fewer people get vaccinated, the more easily new variables arise. He explained that there are different criteria for the time in which the second dose should be given depending on the type of vaccine applied. The Sinovac vaccine used in the country indicates that it should be 28 to 30 days. However, he pointed out that if a person cannot go to the vaccination center on that specific date, he/she can get it days later without any inconvenience, although it is not yet known what it implies from the immunological point of view.

The president of the Dominican Society of Vaccinology explained that the vaccine that is massively applied in the country of the Chinese company Sinovac is one of those that cause fewer side effects. Still, it is estimated that 8% to 10% of those vaccinated could present slight manifestations of pain in the area of the arm where it was placed, headache, fatigue, which can last for 36 to 48 hours. He said that in the country, the authorities are working on a study and surveillance of the different reactions that may arise and that if a person after vaccination presents symptoms that are not mild after that period, he/she should report it by calling the General Directorate of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Public Health. He said that people with two doses of the vaccine could develop the virus because no vaccine protects 100% to become infected due to the relaxation of preventive measures. Still, the important thing is that people know that they can avoid complications in case of infection.

Dr. Brea del Castillo reminded that nobody is injected with a live virus, so if after vaccination they become infected, it is not because of the vaccine they received but because they already had the virus. In the case of Sinovac, it is the inactivated virus.

What worries
The specialist said that currently, what worries most is the lack of trust in the vaccine. He attributes misinformation or wrong information that is mainly collected on social networks.

He advised people to seek information based on scientific evidence.

CONDITIONS
Asymptomatic.
An asymptomatic does not develop symptoms because he or she is vaccinated against Covid-19.

Children.
Not yet because there is not enough vaccine, and now there is talk in the United States of vaccinating children between 12 and 15 years of age. However, he said that the final recommendation is to include it later on.