Post-Vaccination Events

KOMPAS/ABDULLAH FIKRI ASHRI

A health worker injects a fellow medical worker with a vaccine during a simulation for Covid-19 vaccination at Puskesmas Talun, in Cirebon regency, West Java, on Wednesday (6/1/2021). The first round of vaccinations in Cirebon will target around 8,009 medical workers.

After the Covid-19 vaccination in a number of regions in the country has been completed, we will enter a new stage: To study events that may arise after the vaccination.

Scientific verification of such events is going to have to catch up with information spread through social media. The latest such information, for example, concerns the death of the director of the Health Science College (STIK) in Tamalatea, Makassar, Eha Soemantri, SKM, MKes, on Friday (19/2/2021). He reportedly died of Covid-19 even though he had received two vaccination shots.

We feel sorry for the passing of Eha Sumantri. However, with all due respect, the information about his death should be clarified. According to the public relations department of Wahidin Sudirohusodo Hospital, based on the results of the last examination, the deceased tested negative for Covid-19, and as such, her family was allowed to bring her body home (Kompas.id, 22/2/2021).

Also read: Anticipate Effects After Vaccination

During a pandemic, when people need encouragement, such news is cause for concern. The data recorded by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) on events following immunization show that, based on reports from 22 provinces, five out of 10,000 post-vaccination events were in the mild category and 42 of 1 million cases were in the serious category. However, there were no cases that led to death (Kompas, 23/2/2021).

Also read: Vaccination Target Data Incomplete

We know, since Edward Jenner published a method called vaccination or immunization in 1797 — which three-quarters of a century later inspired Louis Pasteur to create an anthrax vaccine and Robert Koch to create a tuberculosis vaccine — this effort has become the easiest, cheapest and most effective way to prevent infectious diseases.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

There was an addition to the first stage on Thursday (28/2/2021) at the health center for those who had not been vaccinated. A total of 3,700 doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been prepared to be distributed to nine hospitals in Setiabudi district. Problems with vaccine data collection and distribution, which caused the first phase of the Covid-19 vaccination program to be prioritized for health workers, persist.

The Jenner method uses smallpox material on cows, while Pasteur and Koch use weakened bacteria. With the development of knowledge and technology, the Covid-19 vaccine is also made through genetic engineering.

Dr. Katherine O\'Brien from the World Health Organization (WHO) guarantees that all components in the vaccine have passed through rigorous testing. After its development, a vaccine must pass through animal testing and clinical trials involving tens of thousands of volunteers.

Actually, this is not much different from symptoms experienced by children under five who receive basic immunization shots.

However, there are some mild reactions that may occur after vaccination. In the UK, possible reactions include fever, slight swelling at the injection site, chills, dizziness, fatigue and weakness. Actually, this is not much different from symptoms experienced by children under five who receive basic immunization shots. However, the accelerated production of vaccines — what usually takes at least nine years has now been done in only a year — could be cause for concern.

Also read: Balance Vaccinations by Complying with Health Protocols

A question related to the extent to which immunity is generated, whether it can last a lifetime or only three to four months, also cannot be answered. What we have to do is to monitor those who have received vaccinations and keep track of their progress.

Kompas

Muslim women ride a motorbike past a coronavirus-themed mural in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020. Writings on the mural read "Let\'s fight coronavirus together". As companies race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine and countries scramble to secure doses, questions about the use of pork products — banned by some religious groups — has raised concerns about the possibility of disrupted immunization campaigns.

In the end, we must believe that the health authorities have carried out their duties in a proper manner according to prescribed procedures. Of course, we must be aware of all events following the vaccination, but we must be critical and check and recheck any information on such events.

(This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi)