TAKE CARE!!! LIVES MATTER

The situation of the global pandemic has attracted the attention of the population for months. But what generates more interest is the emergence of an effective vaccine, capable of preventing the disease, although, on the other hand, there are groups opposed to vaccination that have been gaining space in the media and social networks.

Doubts and denials regarding the new or scientific discoveries have always occurred in all areas. At first in the creation of the vaccine by Edward Jenner, the scientific community was against it. Even Louis Pasteur developed controversies with the microbiologists of his generation defending the sciences. In Rio de Janeiro in 1904, Brazilians rejected the mandatory vaccination with the “Vaccine Rebellion”. Groups opposed to immunizations have always existed. Guido Levi in the book “Refusal of vaccines, causes, and consequences” describes that anti-vaccination arguments and proposals have different reasons: philosophical, religious, fear... And in times of covid-19 it would not be different.

Any medication or medical procedure is and will always be subject to undesirable effects, side effects. However, the negative effects are incomparably less than the benefits and are generally minor and easily controllable; it is what current science says. Even so, controversies arise that often cause damage to the health of the population by denying vaccination programs in some parts of the world.

The WHO (World Health Organization) recently classified the population's acceptance of a new vaccine as a challenge, especially when there are important anti-vaccine and fake news groups. In addition, groups use the vaccine as a “political” theme, emitting rumors and contradictory information, in speeches "for the freedoms of Brazilians..."

It is known that “Freedom is conditioned by the law, absolute freedom does not exist, because everyone must act within the limits imposed by the legal order, since my right ends when the other's right begins.” And the contamination of Covid-19 is from person to person. According to some research, a person infected by Covid-19 infects on average 3 to 6 people, and, in some cases, the number of infected people can be alarmingly higher. It is worth remembering what happened in Washington, United States: during a rehearsal of a choir a man transmitted the disease to 53 out of 61 people who were in the same environment.

Immunization is a relevant topic. It is necessary for specialists, the scientific community, and the Government to act in order to clarify in a simple and direct way the real importance of immunization through the vaccine for public health, with the aim of minimizing the growing ideological movements, which have no scientific basis and can put lives of thousands of people at risk. Life is more important than anything, we must be aware and preserve it, taking care of ourselves and our neighbor.

Conclusion: Let's take care of ourselves! 

Simone Fonseca de Freitas

Reference: Brazilian Immunization Society 2017, Vaccine Sevety Net (VSN) website - global network of websites validated by The WHO (World Health Organization )