The Importance of taking the COVID-19 Vaccine
The pandemic has not been easy for anyone. Many do not want or hear anything more about this disease that has come to completely change our way of life. We have learned to greet without hands, to smile with our eyes and to use the mask that many like me detest, but that unfortunately we have had to learn to live with it.
One year and nine months after the COVID-19 pandemic started, I still hear the name and it rattles my nerves. So many variants keep appearing, and as responsible people, we must inform ourselves well on the current information so we can be aware of what needs to be done to better protect ourselves.
Fortunately, renowned scientists and laboratories got to work and created vaccines against this disease. I know that like me, many felt reluctant to be inoculated, but as I said before, it was the lack of knowledge on the subject that gave me pause. The vaccine came at a necessary moment for humanity, and thanks to those people who dedicated themselves to looking for solutions to overcome this pandemic, the vaccine has been able to reach a large percentage of humanity.
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), vaccinating is the best tool to we have at the moment to reduce mortality against this illness, since they save 2.5 million lives per year around the world. In the context in which we find ourselves nowadays, uncertainty over the information we receive raise doubts for some people, making them reluctant to take the vaccine against COVID-19.[1]
Vaccines against COVID-19 can keep a person from getting seriously ill if they contract the virus. Studies are showing that all vaccines against Covid-19 are safe and effective. By vaccinating yourself, you also protect the people around you. It is an effective way to build immunity.
The WHO also agrees that vaccinating is a safe and very effective way to protect against harmful diseases before coming into contact with them, as it activates the body's natural defenses so that they learn to resist specific infections and strengthen the immune system.
Vaccination against COVID-19 has reduced the risk for people to become seriously ill and reduces the possibility of death, as one is better protected from infection. 100% immunity will not be possible after vaccinating, since it is still possible for a person to contract the disease. However, studies show that the effects on the body are much less severe.[2]
Did you know that a nursing mother, when vaccinated, can pass the antibodies of the vaccine to her baby, and thus protect it? Vaccines are shown to be safe for even children under the age of 5. Vaccinating them can help protect from serious short-term and long-term complications to the illness. Vaccinating children five years of age and older can also protect families and communities, including friends and relatives who are ineligible to get vaccinated and those at higher risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19.[3]
In this time of the infodemic, which is an overabundance of accurate and inaccurate information, it is important to inquire and seek data from official sources. The main goal of the Covid-19 vaccine is to decrease severe cases of the disease, hospitalizations, and deaths.[4]
So, let's not be afraid of a vaccine that will only help us avoid getting seriously ill. It will protect others around you who are still unvaccinated, including our children who are some of the most vulnerable to infection and who cannot yet be vaccinated.
Additional information can be found at the following links:
http://www.usat.edu.pe/articulos/la-importancia-de-la-vacunacion-contra-la-covid-19/
https://www.news-medical.net/health/The-Importance-of-Global-COVID-19-Vaccination-(Spanish).aspx
[1] https://www.cajaprevision.org/salud/me-siento-bien/408/covid-19--importancia-de-la-vacunacion
[2] https://www.bbva.com/es/la-importania-y-los-beneficios-de-vacunarse-contra-el- covid-19/
[3] https://espanol.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/vaccine-benefits.html
[4] https://www.cajaprevision.org/salud/me-siento-bien/408/covid-19--importancia-de-la-vacunacion