Thread by @syikinyunusMD

"Prioritise the elderly & high risks"

Easy to be said,
NOT easy to be done.

Many elderly people are still vaccine-hesitant:their main source of info is "fear-mongering" Whatsapp chain messages.

This is a 🧵on #COVID vaccine's risk & why we should not wait for an IDEAL vaccine.

2/ Many of the high risk patients who we counselled for vaccine still are hesitant & adopted approach of "Tunggu Dulu la"
Despite our best efforts explaining the risks

Remember when Pfizer first came out? Many people went bonkers over the anaphylaxis issue despite reassurances.

3/ When Pfizer came out, people say "oh I wanna wait for AZ/Sinovac/J&J"

Now AZ are in, people are super scared over the risk of VITT (blood clots):they are saying "Let's wait for Pfizer" 🤷🏻‍♀️

J&J also has reports of VITT now.

Sinovac has minimal data on adverse effects for now.

4/ Let's face the cold hard facts:
We are in a WAR (COVID)

🇲🇾in 4th wave.
It won't settle in 2021.
Long term effects eg #LongCovid-little data is known for now.
🌎 "fighting" over vaccine patent & procurement.

& we are still "choosing" which vaccine to be used & who gets it

5/ I understand the concerns over the risks.
BUT it's CALCULATED RISKS.

In a war, u don't get to choose which weapon to be used.
The enemy is in front of u, u are given a revolver;
Will u reject it & say "No, I want a AK-47 A machine gun!"

Sorry, u'll be dead by that time.

6/ Regarding risks of a medication/vaccine:
It's more "apparent" when the disease associated with the medication/vaccine has the "spotlight"
As in COVID.

Bleeding in the 🧠 is known risk of blood thinners & yet many people are still on it: benefits > risks.
Sounds familiar?

7/ When COVID is lower in incidence, everybody start to analyse the adverse events of vaccine.
That's good.
But let's not forget how deep in shit when COVID ran rampant in your country.

Risks of #VITT also vary according to countries. Maybe because of epid/genetical variants.

8/ Regarding #BloodClots (VTE),
U can still get it- without the vaccine.

Blood clots are not rare. We have seen many patients with blood clots (lungs/brain/legs): many of them without apparent reason. Some of them due to immune system attacking the body. Many of them smokers.

9/ Blood clots ➡️serious harm & to the extreme-death. It has efficacious treatment available.

COVID ➡️ serious harm & death. Not 1 treatment has been proven to be 100% effective.

You have to weight which is the greater risk.
Let's not forget how COVID affects the 🌎

10/ Take 🏠 Msg:

🚨Now in 🇲🇾,
The best #COVIDVaccine to save U & your loved ones is the FIRST one being offered to U.

🚨Take it when it's being given. Make an INFORMED choice. Watch out for side effects.

🚨No such thing as an IDEAL vaccine

🚨Nothing in this 🌎 has ZERO risk

@threader_app Please unroll this thread ☺️

*are still hesitant