“The best vaccine is the one in your arm.”
That was the advice given by pediatrician Dr. Anna Ong-Lim to both parents and teachers who attended the first Life Talk webinar series entitled “To V or not to V” held last March 20, 2021 in light of the rising number of COVID-19 cases nationwide.
The webinar started with a backgrounder of the roughly 140M COVID-19 infections worldwide. Ong-Lim showed the timeline of the development of the COVID-19 virus in the country in the past few months, with NCR and the nearby provinces contributing to the increase in the number of cases.
Ong-Lim then discussed the different vaccines available in treating COVID-19, their composition, how they work, and who need to get vaccinated first. According to her, those with the highest chance of sickness and death, most of them in the A groups, should ideally be vaccinated by the end of April. But she clarified that since the vaccines have not been tested on children yet, it is not advisable for them to be vaccinated.
Ong-Lim assured the webinar participants regarding the safety of the vaccines in the face of fears regarding their possible side effects and efficacy. “Don’t let the side effects scare you. The side effects are not as frequently seen as the effects of the disease,” said Ong-Lim. She encouraged the participants to be vaccinated, as the only way to deal with COVID is to have the majority of the population vaccinated.
Ong-Lim also cautioned the participants regarding the use of Ivermectin in treating COVID-19 given that its effectiveness in treating COVID-19 is not yet medically proven. Instead, she reminded everyone to just practice the recommended safety protocols. “Stay at home, and do not go out if possible. Wear a face mask and face shield at all times. And most importantly, wash your hands with soap and water regularly,” concluded Ong-Lim.
Life Talks: “To V or not to V” is the first in a series of webinars hosted by the school.
Dr. Anna Lim is a Professor and the Division Chief of Infectious and Tropical Disease in the Department of Pediatrics. She is also a part of the Board of Trustees of the Philippine Pediatrics Society. Currently, she is a member of the DOH Technical Advisory Group, the IATF Technical Working Group on COVID-19 Variants, and the Interim National Immunization Technical Advisory Group for COVID-19 Vaccines.
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