Since the beginning of the month, students aged 12 and above have been getting their Covid-19 vaccines.
Although the vaccine uptake amongst students has been positive, some parents are still hesitant about how safe they are for children.
On Monday (7 Jun), Director of the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) David Lye took to Facebook to address and correct misinformation circulating online.
We summarise Assoc Prof Lye’s lengthy post after the jump.
Prof Lye started off his Facebook post by saying that fake science and anti-vaccine groups are dangerous in a pandemic.
He then expressed his worries over seeing messages and petitions about not using the mRNA vaccines on teenagers.
This includes a now-debunked open letter by a group of 12 doctors about the “dangers” of the mRNA vaccine.
Prof Lye stated that as respected members of society, these doctors should not be quoting “dubious international experts”, potentially misleading the public.
Prof Lye went on to talk about the importance of vaccinating children and teenagers.
Although they may not develop severe Covid-19 symptoms, if infected, they carry the virus at the same level that adults do.
This means they can infect adults with poor immunity, especially the elderly.
Evidence shows that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine can reduce household transmissions by about 50 to 60%.
Prof Lye then emphasised that mRNA vaccines are some of the most effective Covid-19 vaccines right now.
Research has shown that these vaccines reduce Covid-19 symptoms by 95%, reduce hospitalisation from severe Covid-19 by above 90%, and prevent transmissions by over 60%.
They are also proven to be effective against other Covid-19 variants such as the Alpha (B117), Beta (B1351), and Delta (B16172) variants.
Prof Lye also dispels myths that the mRNA vaccines are dangerous as they were developed in a rush.
Even Sinovac and Sinopharm were approved in China before trials were completed, he said.
Although the mRNA vaccines were developed quickly, they had gone through extensive clinical trials before approval.
Besides that, although the Sinovac vaccine uses inactivated virus technology that isn’t new, it is not harmless as well and will also come with side effects.
Additionally, the Health Sciences Authority is still waiting for Sinovac to reply to their queries.
Prof Lye pointed out that some doctors have also advocated for unproven methods of treatment for Covid-19.
This includes ivermectin – a treatment for parasites – as well as fluvoxamine, an antidepressant.
He was quick to dismiss these methods of treatment, saying there are few clinical trials on them.
In any case, a large trial conducted at a dormitory by National University Hospital doctors, including Prof Paul Tambyah, proved that ivermectin was not effective in preventing Covid-19.
As Prof Lye concluded his post, he stressed that effective Covid-19 vaccines are a part of our solution against Covid-19.
He urges the public to be aware of fake science on social media.
So, although there is a wealth of information available online, do rely on credible sources to stay informed.
For more information on Covid-19 vaccines, do refer to the Ministry of Health’s website here.
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Featured image adapted from Facebook and Facebook.
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