Most back COVID jab, some worry about effect, readers say

Most Barbadians appear to be in favour of taking the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19, say Barbados TODAY readers, though some harbour lingering doubts about the jab’s likely effectiveness.

Government received 100,000 doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine on Tuesday and immunisations have begun against COVID-19.

Some members of the Rastafari community have come out against taking part in the vaccination programme.

When Barbados TODAY posed the question: Will you be taking the AstraZeneca Vaccines on its Facebook page, most readers indicated they would be willing.

According to Kyesha Applewhaite, taking the vaccine was a no brainer.

“Of course! You have a 30 per cent of some level of organ damage with COVID and it’s only a matter of time before insurance companies treat it as a pre-existing condition that warrants higher premiums.

“We all need to take it to guard against even worse variations spreading in our island. Millions have taken it and we would know by now if it was a botched job,” she said.

Shelley Parris also agreed wholeheartedly.

“Yes! It won’t be the first time I have been vaccinated. It may be the best thing to get us back to “normality”. I travel for work and I suspect vaccination would be mandatory for travel and the more people vaccinated the less risks of variants and mutations,” she pointed out.

Ruth Mahadeo said that having taken several other vaccinations she saw no reason not to take the AstraZeneca.

“Absolutely. Wondering how many people who are refusing this vaccine have questioned the others that they have taken since birth; measles, rubella, yellow fever, polio, etc,” she queried.

But while health authorities have already launched a campaign to make the public aware about the vaccine and its benefits, some readers are still of the view that the jab is a ‘large test study’.

Tavia Swanson said her apprehension was based on the fact that she was concerned about possible long-lasting side effects.

“I don’t usually take medication unless I absolutely have to and I don’t know the long term effects of taking this vaccine. We’ve been told what it does to the virus but what does it do to me,” she asked.

Sonta Scant echoed the same sentiments: “There is not enough data on long term or even short-term effects. So for right now, I am unsure.”

The death toll from the coronavirus has accelerated since the start of the year, with roughly three times as many COVID-19 patients dying in the last six weeks than in all of 2020.

There is currently no medical cure for potentially lethal COVID-19, which has killed 2.36 million worldwide.

Health experts concur that the vaccines currently approved for use prevent against hospitalization and death from the coronavirus. (RB)