COVER STORY
GETTING THE SHOT: YES. NO! MAYBE?
Image credit: LISA SUMMER on Pexels.
By SHAGORIKA EASWAR
The response to the vaccine rollout has ranged from people asking each other if they’ve got their shots yet to those who are debating the pros and cons and are on the fence.
There are also those asking if anyone is crazy enough to even consider getting one.
Which, frankly, has been astonishing. I had (naively) assumed that people, weary of COVID-related restrictions and cancellation of life as they knew it, would see the vaccine as a passport to freedom.
That they would grab the opportunity to sign up and wait eagerly for their turn.
Not quite how it turned out, as it happens.
There’s hesitation, tons of it. And I’m not talking about the conspiracy theorists. Big Pharma has hatched a plot for world dominance!
Nor am I talking about dedicated anti-vaxxers, the ones who Will. Not. Take. A. Jab. Any jab.
This is not even about those who have placed their trust in alternative medicines and good old jadi-butis. One claims that ajwain can cure COVID. None other than the government’s National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) advocates the use of the Ayurvedic health supplement Chyawanprash. And in a video clip that is doing the rounds, a gentleman from Karnataka is extolling the virtues of toddy and arrack (alcoholic drinks). Bizarre and funny at first glance, it makes a weird kind of sense. He’s not proposing guzzling the alcohol, but using it as a sanitizer. Aren’t hand sanitizers alcohol-based? Toddy and arrack, with a high alcohol content, would do the trick efficiently and are probably easier to source in villages and small towns across India than hand sanitizers.
Some ancient remedies do fight some infections. A paste of turmeric, for instance, was routinely used as an antiseptic on wounds and cuts once upon a time. However, it may have met its match in coronavirus, and as I don’t know the science behind any of these, I shall refrain from further comment.
So, back to the vaccine.
Even those who believe in vaccines, who started out waiting for it to become available, are now hesitant. There’s so much misinformation floating around that one doesn’t know whom or what to trust.
It doesn’t help that the information from sources one does trust – public health advisories, for one – changes from day to day.
One day there are no blood clots in Canada, the next, three cases are reported.
One day a vaccine is not deemed safe for those under 55, the next day it’s offered to those 40 and under.
So again, what’s one to believe?
There were also concerns about whether the vaccines were religiously sanctioned.
It was to address questions and doubts like these and, more importantly, to shine a light on the socioeconomic barriers that are contributing to the high rate of COVID-19 transmission in the South Asian community in the Region of Peel that the Canadian South Asian COVID-19 Taskforce was launched.
Physicians, healthcare professionals, lawyers, business leaders and volunteers from all backgrounds and faiths came together to disseminate information in languages other than English for those whose first language may not be English.
Guri Pannu receiving his shot.
Grant’s Desi Achiever Guri Pannu reached out with an update.
“Shortly after Conquer COVID ended (we raised $2.5 million dollars and delivered three million items of PPE), a group of doctors in Peel asked me to lead the South Asian COVID Taskforce. We formed in November 2020, shortly after Diwali, and teamed up with doctors in Brampton, Hamilton, and Surrey to help curb the high rate of COVID in the South Asian Community.
“In December we launched one of the largest testing centres in Peel at Embassy Banquet Hall. Currently there are about 700 tests per day. The testing is done in multiple languages and we provide education in Punjabi, English and Hindi at the testing site and on social media.”
They launched a national vaccine campaign across Canada on April 28 with the next national townhall held on May 19. It’s an ongoing campaign and dates for June and later will be announced soon.
The movement, called This Is Our Shot, was inspired by their slogan, Get Your Teeka.
“Canada is in the midst of a devastating third wave, which has now surpassed waves 1 and 2,” said Pannu. “Variants are raging across the country and young and healthy Canadians are being admitted into the ICU. Shockingly, Canada has now overtaken Germany, the UK and soon the US in cases per capita. The only way to save lives and get back to normal is by getting the majority of Canadians vaccinated to reach herd immunity.
“Although vaccine supply in Canada is ramping up, vaccine hesitancy is a big problem and is prolonging the pandemic. Canada is currently ranked 42 in the world in vaccinating its people (in early May). A recent Angus Reid poll showed over one-third of Canadians are hesitant about taking the vaccine. That number increases amongst diverse populations where there is significant vaccine hesitancy due to misinformation, vaccine access, and mistrust. Our chance of getting back to normal depends on how quickly we can get all Canadians vaccinated – this is our shot.”
The This is Our Shot national vaccine campaign is about bringing hope to Canadians to rally together towards a unified goal of beating COVID-19. With the help of different voices and their ability to inspire others, the group aims to replace vaccine hesitancy with vaccine confidence.
The movement has the support of 120 influencers across Canada and the momentum continues to snowball. A shirt designed specially for the campaign has the slogan This is Our Shot. On the right sleeve, it says Get your Shot in 27 languages.
The pandemic has had significant mental health implications, especially on children and that’s why, says Pannu, all proceeds of the campaign will be donated to Kids Help Phone.
Notable Canadians have lent their names and support to the campaign. These include hockey star Hayley Wickenheiser; astronauts Chris Had-field and Roberta Bondar; business icons Arlene Dickinson and Vik-ram Vij; musicians Sara McLachlan and Jann Arden; film director Deepa Mehta; MMA fighters Arjan Bhullar and Gary Mangat and Indigenous leaders Tyler White (CEO of SikSika Health); Andrea Brazeau and Rilee Many Bears. The team is requesting everyone to join the This is Our Shot movement by creating a short video with a light-hearted message about taking the vaccine when it’s their turn. Actor Ryan Reynolds, who supported Conquer COVID in a big way, was happy to oblige. “We need to rally together to help Canada get back to normal,” says Pannu. “This is Our Shot.”
People can purchase the t-shirt in 27 different languages at www.thisisourshot.ca. More info at http://www.southasiancovidtf.ca and @southasiancovidtf.
PREPARING FOR YOUR VACCINE APPOINTMENT
Ryan Reynolds posted his message of support.
From NEWS CANADA
Feeling nervous about your COVID-19 vaccine appointment? It’s more common than you think. Here are some tips to help you feel prepared, comfortable and to ensure a positive experience.
Before your appointment. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist questions about what to expect. Wear a short-sleeved or loose-fitting top. If you are concerned about pain associated with the injection, you can apply an anaesthetic cream or patch before your appointment. These medicines are available without a prescription, but seek guidance from a pharmacist or healthcare provider about how to use the product. Keep in mind the product will need time to take effect, so plan ahead.
During vaccination. Sit upright during vaccination. If you’ve had incidents of fainting or light-headedness during past injections, it may be suggested that you lie down. Relax your arm – let it feel loose and jiggly like cooked spaghetti. Use deep breathing to help you relax and feel calm. If you feel dizzy, squeeze your legs together or lie down. Distract yourself – use your phone or tablet, or have a conversation. Finally, if you are nervous, say so. There are other tips and tricks that the clinic may have to help distract or comfort you.
After your appointment. The vaccine kicks your body into high gear to build up protection against COVID-19, and that can come with some mild to moderate discomfort and flu-like symptoms. Common side effects may include mild fever or pain, redness or swelling at the injection site. If you develop any serious symptoms or symptoms that could be an allergic reaction, seek medical attention right away. Remember that most side effects from vaccines are common and temporary. Talk to your healthcare provider about over-the-counter medications that can help relieve some common side effects.
More info at canada.ca/covid-vaccine.
STILL IN DOUBT ABOUT A SHOT?
Image credit: AMIR ESRAFILI on Unsplash.
Some of the vaccines that protect against COVID-19 use a technology called an mRNA vaccine.
This term is new to most of us, but learning more about what this type of vaccine is and how it works can help one feel confident in its safety and effectiveness.
Here are three things you need to know about mRNA COVID-19 vaccines:
1. They don’t contain the COVID-19 virus. The COVID-19 mRNA vaccines provide instructions to the body so that it can protect itself against the virus. You cannot get COVID-19 from the vaccine. The vaccines also cannot change a person’s DNA.
2. They can be developed faster than traditional vaccines. mRNA vaccines can be developed faster than those created through traditional methods because they’re made in a lab using materials that are easily available. However, these advancements in technology don’t replace the large-scale clinical trials needed to show that the vaccine is safe and effective. All COVID-19 vaccines available have been rigorously tested during their development and then carefully reviewed by Health Canada and other scientific bodies around the world.
3. They’ve been studied by researchers before. While the term “mRNA vaccine” may be new to most of us, researchers have been studying and working with these vaccines for quite some time. They have been studied for flu, Zika and rabies. Researchers have also used mRNA to trigger the immune system to target certain cancer cells.
BEWARE OF “FACTS” ONLINE!
From NEWS CANADA
You’ve probably heard from a family member or friend on social media some dubious “facts” about COVID-19 vaccines.
But getting your information from people who aren’t health experts isn’t a wise idea, especially when it comes to health topics.
A trusted source like a healthcare provider or public health authority is a good place to get information. Here, the experts at Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada share information everyone needs to know about the vaccines:
1. How vaccines work. Vaccines work with the body’s natural defences to develop protection against a disease. COVID-19 vaccines provide instructions to your body’s immune system to recognize and fight off the virus that causes COVID-19.
2. Available vaccines. Currently, Health Canada has authorized two types of vaccines to help prevent COVID-19: mRNA and viral vector vaccines.
mRNA vaccines provide instructions to your cells for how to make a coronavirus protein. This protein will trigger an immune response that will help to protect you against COVID-19.
Viral vector vaccines use a virus (not the virus that causes COVID-19) that’s been made harmless to produce coronavirus proteins in your body without causing disease. This protein will trigger an immune response that will help protect you against COVID-19.
3. Vaccine safety. Canada has one of the most rigorous scientific review systems in the world and only approves a vaccine if it meets stringent safety, efficacy and quality standards. The review process for COVID-19 vaccines is rigorous and there are systems in place to continue monitoring their safety and efficacy after they are approved. There are many COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in Canada. They are all safe, of high quality and offer protection against COVID-19.
Clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines have been taking place since the spring of 2020 and millions of people in Canada and around the world have already been vaccinated.
4. Benefits of COVID-19 vaccination. COVID-19 vaccines are important tools to respond to this pandemic. Scientific and medical evidence are showing that vaccinated people may have less severe illness if they do become ill from COVID-19. Even while the vaccines roll out, we still need to follow public health measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and save lives.
5. Vaccine rollout. Vaccines will be available – free of charge – over the course of 2021 to everyone who lives in Canada. Provinces and territories have developed detailed vaccination rollout plans for their residents.
More information at canada.ca/covid-vaccine.