Michael Abrahams | Vaccines, seat belts, viruses and zebras

Vaccine hesitancy is a significant barrier to people being vaccinated against COVID-19. There are many questions, concerns, fears, and doubts, and these, combined with distrust of the authorities and a feeling that vaccines are being forced on the populace, help to fuel resistance. If a vaccination programme is to be successful, education and nuanced reasoning are useful tools. I have found the use of certain analogies to be of value in my conversations with those who are hesitant, especially in response to being asked why the vaccine should be taken if you can still contract COVID-19 after you get it, and why the vaccines are not more effective.

VACCINES AND SEAT BELTS

I wear a seat belt when I drive, not only because the law dictates that I do, but because research has shown that wearing one decreases the risk of sustaining a head injury if I am involved in a motor vehicle accident. Wearing a seat belt, however, does not give me 100 per cent protection. Depending on the type and severity of the impact in a collision, I may still sustain a head injury. I can even die while wearing a seat belt. As a matter of fact, the seat belt can cause injuries during a collision, such as fractured ribs. The majority of motor vehicle accidents are minor, and most drivers and passengers sustain no injuries, but I wear a seat belt anyway, as it provides a layer of protection just in case I am involved in a collision. Also, because I know the seat belt does not totally protect me, I drive responsibly. I do not speed, break red lights, or drive the wrong way down one-way streets.

And this is how I feel about COVID-19 and the vaccines developed for SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus. Like motor vehicle accidents, most COVID-19 infections will not make people sick. But there is no way of knowing beforehand how ill you will become if you contract the virus. So, I see the vaccine in a similar way to how I see a seat belt. It does not give me 100 per cent protection. I know that. If I get vaccinated, I can still get COVID-19. I can still get sick from COVID-19. I can even die from COVID-19. And the vaccine can have side effects or give rise to complications. But what the research and data have shown is that vaccine reduces my risk of becoming very ill, being hospitalised, or dying, and that its potential benefits outweigh its risks. Also, because I know it does not guarantee that will not get COVID-19, I take other precautions such as wearing a mask, washing my hands regularly and properly, and practising physical distancing as best I can.

VIRUSES, DOGS AND ZEBRAS

We are used to vaccines being very effective in preventing infections. For example, vaccines have eradicated smallpox, and when we get vaccinated as children for measles, mumps, polio, and other infections, we do not expect to get sick from them. So, many of us wonder why combating COVID-19 is such a challenge. One of the main reasons is the way the virus behaves. One analogy I use is comparing dogs and zebras. These animals belong to a group of organisms known as mammals. Being in the same group, they will have several things in common, such as being warm-blooded and bearing their young live. However, they also have significant differences. Being omnivores, dogs are not fussy eaters and will eat meat as well as vegetable matter. They are also easily domesticated and can be trained to perform tricks, lead visually impaired persons, and sniff out drugs and even some diseases. Zebras, on the other hand, are herbivores and are wild and not easily tamed.

This is how I see viruses too. They all have similarities, such as the inability to reproduce without a host. However, they are not all the same. Measles, for example, does not mutate much, and if someone gets infected with the virus, they will likely have lifetime immunity, as they usually will if vaccinated against it. SARS-CoV-2 is very different. In less than two years since its discovery, it has already mutated into many strains, some of little interest, and others, such as the Delta variant, that can cause significant morbidity. These types of viruses give scientists headaches, as it is very difficult to produce vaccines that will protect against them with a very high degree of efficacy. So, if measles is like a dog, the novel coronavirus is like a zebra: you can put a leash on both, but the zebra will present a much greater challenge.

TRANSPARENT AND HONEST CONVERSATIONS

At the end of the day, it is all about risk reduction, and conversations about vaccination need to be infused with transparency and honesty, with a willingness to listen to and address the concerns that are voiced. Bluntly telling people to “take the vaccine”, especially when the directive is being given by people many of us have trust issues with, will not yield the desired results.

I took the vaccine because I know that if I get exposed to SARS-CoV-2, my risk of hospitalisation and death, even if the virus enters my body, is decreased. I also continue to drive carefully and give thanks that there are no zebras running wild in our streets. And even if there were and I collided with one, at least I would be wearing a seat belt.

Michael Abrahams is an obstetrician and gynaecologist, social commentator, and human-rights advocate. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and michabe_1999@hotmail.com, or follow him onTwitter @mikeyabrahams.