Dear Editor,
Stephanie Isaacs, in a letter to the Stabroek News under the caption, `The government continues to remain indifferent towards protecting the people from this virus’ got my attention, and I feel compelled to make a response.
Stephanie and others of her ilk need to know that information is available and people must seek to be informed regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, which is still very much upon us. The word from the Ministry of Health is that almost 40% of COVID-19 fatalities for the month were triggered by comorbidities and waning immunity systems. Currently, some questions have been raised as to whether or not some of those reported as having been fully vaccinated may have falsified their vaccination status by way of having a forged vaccination card. Then medical information must be distilled, and this is where I have a few things to say.
First, as reported in the Vanguard, vaccines and the concept of vaccination is as old as the history of medicine and many years of vaccination have shown that vaccines are generally safe and highly effective in disease prevention. The COVID situation is no different. The evidence is abundant and suggests convincingly that COVID-19 vaccines are very safe and well-tolerated by the majority of those vaccinated. Minor temporary side effects such as fever, pain at the spot of injection, and body weakness, among others have been reported following vaccination in some persons.
Secondly, again quoting the Vanguard, “It should be emphasized that death from COVID-19 vaccines is very rare. In Europe and America, the death rate due to COVID-19 vaccine is reported to be less than 0.002 percent.” What we must understand is that “It is not unusual for people with COVID-19 to die from complications of diabetes or hypertension which may not be directly related to or caused by COVID-19.” The words of the many experts state that “Many of these persons who succumb to COVID-19 after vaccination are likely to have lost their immunity or failed to develop sufficient immunity after vaccination.” So, although people from all walks of and age in life get COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, a whole lot depends on the kind of work they do, the conditions they live in, and whether or not they have other health problems.
Now, Stephanie is quite an alarmist, stating currently there “… is a new stage of despair and alarm when children end up being fatally affected by this virus as is happening now.” She adds that “It is because of the desire of parents to protect their children, that there have been appeals to the Government, and the Minister of Education, to close the schools and resume virtual learning. They have remained staunchly steadfast in their ill-advised and reckless decision not to do so.” Well, here is more news for her.
“Get vaccinated” is the constant call from Health Minister, Frank Anthony, who keeps pleading with the nation, especially teachers, eligible students, and I add, just about everyone, to be compliant, as regards being fully vaccinated. Before this, the President himself, Dr. Irfaan Ali, made a passionate plea, explaining that “Our only tool to be ahead of all these variants, all the changes, the mutations that we are seeing is vaccination. If it is that this variant is far more infectious, the only thing that will save us is vaccination. The only thing that will slow hospitalization is vaccination. The only thing that will slow the death rate successfully is vaccination.” This call came amidst the Omicron outbreak.
For the Stephanies, any genuine worry that schools could help to rapidly spread infections has been eased by a recent study that suggests children under 15 are about half as likely as adults to catch and spread the coronavirus. Researchers in Iceland monitored every child and adult in the country who had been quarantined after possible exposure to the virus. Using contact tracing and genetic sequencing to identify links between outbreak clusters, the study of 40,000 people found that children “can and do get infected and transmit to others, but they do both less frequently than adults.”
One large new study from South Korea found that children under the age of 10 appear to not transmit the virus very well. A study, published in April by researchers at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, suggests that younger kids haven’t developed the molecular keys that the virus exploits to enter the body and wreak havoc on the respiratory system, microscopic structures known as ACE2 receptors.
So, reality coupled with common sense and medical science goes in favour of having actual classroom sessions. Our problem here seems to reside with the staff members and not the students, as they have been playing too much politics with the well-being of our students.
Therefore, it is wholly inaccurate and terribly illogical to say that “The government continues to remain indifferent towards protecting the people from this virus.” Efforts are still ongoing and the backing of science is being heeded.
Yours truly,
Alvin Hamilton
