The Department of Health explains that vaccines mimic the virus or bacteria that causes disease and triggers the body’s creation of antibodies and these antibodies will provide protection once a person is infected with the actual disease-causing virus or bacteria.
It further added that vaccines differ in their composition and how they trigger the immune response to create antibodies. These antibodies protect the body from microorganisms and serve as protection once a person gets infected with disease.
No matter how these explanations are simplified, the scientific jargon would be difficult to process among the regular Juan dela Cruz. And while most local government units claim that their mass vaccination program has been successful and they need more vaccines, there are still millions of Filipinos out there who refused to be vaccinated.
They are the people who continue to go out of their homes, regardless of the restrictions. And while they do wear masks and face shields, they are doing it more for compliance instead for protection. This defiant group of people believe that they are invincible from COVID-19 and its variants. They think that the coronavirus-19 that claimed millions of lives worldwide can be easily treated with the traditional and over the counter flu medicines.
With this mindset, it is no wonder that COVID infection continues to spike despite the increasing number of people vaccinated. The spread of the virus can only be contained if everyone cooperates and observes the protocols not only for mere compliance but for protection from getting infected and infecting others as well. – NWI
