1 minute read
Second dose matters
from MisOr Torch
by MisOr Torch
by Fritzi Mae Gapuz
A remote control that does not respond or control your TV usually means the batteries are low, dead, inserted incorrectly, or mostly the other pair is missing. Missing the other pair of batteries to your TV remote control is the same as missing your second dose of vaccine.
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Many people are not getting the message that the second dose matters. An estimated one million Filipinos who have received their first jab missed the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“About 1 million vaccinees, particularly those given CoronaVac or Sputnik V vaccines for their first shot, have yet to get their second jab, which was supposed to be administered a month after their first dose,” Epidemiologist Dr. John Wong said.
The reasons for the delay or deferral of the second dose vary. Some Filipinos say they are worried about side effects, which have broadly been detailed to be worse after the second dose. Some of them thought they were already protected after a single shot. Others say they have transportation and scheduling issues and it’s been hard to reschedule.
Side effects like fatigue, fever, muscle pain, and migraine are more common after the second dose of vaccines. They may be repulsive, but they are manageable and a sign that your body is building a solid resistant reaction.
Beyond the obvious health risks, it is still very important to wear masks and face shields when going outdoors after being vaccinated. Vaccines are not magical barriers, they don’t terminate the virus. But they rather stimulate a person’s immune system to create antibodies—allowing the body to fight the infection before it causes severe diseases or breakthrough infections.
Moreover, immunized individuals who developed COVID-19 will likely have a lower viral load than unvaccinated individuals, which means they are more averse to spreading the infection.
When it comes to the prevention of deaths through vaccines, the cup is estimated to be 80 percent full, but wouldn’t you rather choose to fill it all the way for such an exceptional and irreversible result as death?
