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| - Last Updated on August 29, 2024 by Dr Priyamvada
Quick Take
A social media post suggests that taking the COVID vaccine was futile. We did a thorough fact check to term it as False.
The Claim
A post on Threads says, “So nothing happened to those who didn’t take the Covid vaccine?” The user alleges COVID vaccine was useless.
The comment section looked like this:
Fact Check
How does a COVID vaccine work?
To answer the claim that the COVID vaccine was useless, we must first understand how vaccines work. COVID-19 vaccines work by stimulating an immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19. They either use a weakened or inactivated virus, viral proteins, or genetic material that instructs cells to produce viral proteins. This triggers the immune system to produce antibodies and activate T-cells. And thus, preparing the body to fight the virus if exposed in the future.
Was the COVID-19 vaccine really futile or useless?
No, the COVID-19 vaccines were not futile or useless. Scientific evidence overwhelmingly supports their efficacy in preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death caused by COVID-19. Multiple studies and real-world data from around the globe consistently show that vaccinated individuals are significantly less likely to contract severe COVID-19 compared to those who are unvaccinated. Vaccination was the most important tool in reducing the burden on healthcare systems and preventing countless deaths worldwide.
One of the fake posts also said that 7 out of 10 Americans refused the Covid-19 Vaccination. Another false social media post claims that people are collapsing and claiming the cause to be COVID-19 vaccines.
How did the COVID vaccine save lives during the pandemic?
Individuals who got the COVID vaccines consistently exhibit lower mortality rates, highlighting the protective benefits of vaccination. COVID-19 vaccines have played a pivotal role in controlling the pandemic by:
- Reducing Transmission: Vaccinated individuals are less likely to spread the virus, which helps in breaking the chain of transmission.
- Preventing Severe Illness: Vaccines have been highly effective in reducing the severity of COVID-19 symptoms, thereby preventing hospitalisations and deaths.
- Protecting Vulnerable Populations: Vaccination has been especially critical in protecting older individuals and those with underlying health conditions. These people are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
Real-world data from countries with high vaccination rates have shown significant declines in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, underscoring the life-saving impact of vaccination campaigns.
What was the global impact of the first year of COVID-19 vaccination?
Vaccination has made a huge difference in fighting COVID-19 worldwide. Here’s a simple explanation of its global impact during the first year:
- Lives Saved: COVID-19 vaccines have saved millions of lives. Studies estimate that vaccines prevented about 14.4 million deaths from December 2020 to December 2021. When considering unreported deaths, this number could be as high as 19.8 million.
- Reduced Death Rates: Vaccination significantly lowered the number of deaths caused by COVID-19. The reduction was about 63% globally.
- Unequal Access: While vaccines saved many lives, not everyone had equal access to them. Low-income countries struggled to get enough vaccines, leading to more deaths that could have been avoided.
- Potential Impact: If vaccination targets set by global health organisations had been met, many more lives could have been saved. For instance, achieving the 20% vaccination target in low-income countries could have prevented an additional 45% of deaths. Meeting the 40% target could have prevented an additional 111% of deaths in these regions.
- Need for Equity: The data highlights the need for fair distribution of vaccines to ensure everyone, regardless of where they live, has access to life-saving vaccinations.
Therefore, we can strongly say that COVID-19 vaccines have drastically changed the course of the pandemic. They have saved millions of lives. However, ensuring equitable access to vaccines remains important for protecting everyone globally.
Why is vaccination important?
Vaccination is the basis of public health worldwide. It offers numerous benefits that extend far beyond individual protection:
- Disease Prevention: Vaccines prevent serious illnesses and death by boosting the immune system against specific pathogens.
- Eradication and Control: Vaccination has eradicated diseases like smallpox and reduced global burdens of polio, measles, and rubella.
- Lifespan Protection: Vaccination schedules protect from infancy through adulthood, preventing illnesses at all life stages.
- Community Immunity: Vaccination creates herd immunity, reducing disease spread and safeguarding vulnerable individuals.
- Healthcare Cost Savings: By preventing diseases, vaccines lower healthcare expenses by reducing hospitalizations and treatments.
- Global Health Security: Vaccination prevents international disease spread, crucial in our interconnected world.
- Social and Economic Benefits: Healthy populations are more productive, enhancing economic stability and societal well-being.
- Health Equity: Accessible vaccines ensure everyone, regardless of background, can be protected from preventable diseases.
- Research Advancement: Vaccination drives innovations in immunology, improving vaccine efficacy and safety.
Hence, vaccination saves lives, prevents disease outbreaks, and strengthens global health security. Investing in vaccination programs and ensuring equitable access are vital for a healthier, safer world.
Conclusion
So, claims suggesting that the COVID-19 vaccine was useless are false. On the contrary, COVID-19 vaccines have proven highly effective in saving lives, reducing severe illness, and controlling the spread of the virus. Vaccination remains a foundation of global efforts to combat the pandemic and protect public health. As new variants emerge and the pandemic continues to evolve, vaccination remains our best defence against COVID-19. This highlights the importance of widespread vaccination efforts globally. Therefore, the claim that COVID vaccines or vaccines in general are useless is categorically false based on current scientific understanding and real-world data. It is extremely important to stay aware and not believe the baseless claims regarding COVID vaccines like COVID vaccines containing nanobots. Vaccines protect us from diseases and not the other way round.
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