EDITORIAL: LET’S VACCINATE BEFORE IT GETS TOO LATE

The turnout for Saturday’s ‘vaccination rally’ (complete with the prize incentives) was both impressive and encouraging with reports of around 1,000 people lining up to get the jab. 

It suggests that the message about the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine for individuals and the wider community is getting through again.

After the initial good response which had put Cayman in the top league of the global vaccination roll-out, the rate slowed down, especially when the campaign was opened up for those 16 to 50 age range.

Getting vaccinated remains a matter of choice but there is a wider community good at stake.

The information from the scientists, governments and others who are directly involved and leading the global effort against the COVID-19 pandemic, is that the vaccines on the market are safe, to the extent that they are also getting vaccinated.

A reluctance to take the vaccine is understandable especially with the reports of a small minority of cases of severe reactions to at least one of the vaccine brands, the Oxford AstraZeneca.

It’s reassuring however, that the greater majority of people who have been vaccinated have had little or no adverse reaction.

And while the current indications globally and locally are that we may have to learn to live with the virus, the level of protection against severe illness that the vaccines provide eclipses the doubts being expressed...and some have been rather outlandish to put it mildly.

The COVID-19 vaccine should now be viewed as just another in the arsenal of vaccines that protect us from diseases or reduce the risk of us becoming seriously ill should we be unfortunate to contract one of the many viruses in circulation.

Here’s a list to consider across all age groups (sourced from the UK National Health Service - NHS); flu, rotavirus, MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), tuberculosis, chicken pox and shingles.There’s also vaccines that provide a safeguard against pneumonia and hepatitis A and B.

Add to that list vaccines against, smallpox, diphtheria and rabies plus others being researched.

They all have side effects but that is far outweighed by the proven benefits to the individual, their family, the community and the world.

Side issues about the profitability of ‘big pharma’ and a slew of conspiracy theories face into the background when measured up against the efficacy of these vaccines which now include the COVID-19 vaccines.

So let's play our part for ourselves and for Cayman.

Let’s not be close-minded. Our health depends on this.

Opening up the borders and the economy also depend on it.

So, come on Cayman,

It’s getting late, let’s vaccinate.

Also, note the vaccine expiry date.

It would be a crying shame

To end up throwing away

Vaccines which have been donated by the UK

While elsewhere in the world people are literally dying

For the lack of vaccines