Inject awareness’ of how Covid-19 vaccine works

 

   

Experts: Govt should launch awareness campaign to be transparent on safety

To allay concerns brought about by anti-vaxxers, health experts suggest that the government come up with a campaign to educate Malaysians on the safety of Covid-19 vaccines. The National Council on Islamic Affairs has given the go ahead for inoculation. 

Health experts are urging the government to come up with a vaccination awareness campaign now to alleviate public fears and concerns over the Covid-19 vaccine with the arrival of the first batch by February.

Universiti Malaya expert virologist Prof Dr Sazaly Abu Bakar said through a campaign, the government should explain how the vaccine actually works.

“What we do not want is the ripple effect after this in which not only the Covid-19 vaccine is affected but also vaccines for other infectious diseases which we have been using for eons.

“Anti-vaxxers are trying to sow distrust on vaccines. It is not just about the Covid-19 vaccine but their aim will be affecting all the other childhood disease vaccinations which is not good,” he said when contacted yesterday.

He explained that a vaccine can only enter the country after the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency ( NPRA) approves it although the government has made allocations to purchase the vaccine.

“The vaccine cannot be brought in and distributed to the people until the NPRA has verified that it is safe to use.

“The rakyat should not be concerned about all these other issues that are non-scientific, non-science-based and non-data-based. What the rakyat should know is that there are different platforms for different vaccines.

“This is good because that means the government is giving us the option of choosing which vaccine we want to take eventually as there are people who are allergic to certain components of a vaccine. Maybe when one vaccine is not suitable, another one is suitable,” he said.

So far, the Health Ministry had implemented a nationwide survey to gauge the interest of Malaysians in getting the Covid-19 vaccine.

It was also announced that Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin would be among the first to take the vaccination.

Universiti Putra Malaysia medical epidemiologist Assoc Prof Dr Malina Osman said proper policy and regulation is needed to handle vaccine skeptics and anti-vaxxers.

“Once we have bold scientific evidence on the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine, the gazettement under the law should be carried out to disallow those who have no authority to talk against the vaccine, and there should also be provision on an appropriate punishment for those who talk ‘nonsense’ about the vaccine,” she said.

“In the Muslim community, the issue on whether the vaccine is halal or not have been raised by those who reject the vaccine. This group provides isolated evidence against the decree by recognised religious scholars towards acceptance of the treatment from the Islamic point of view,” she said.

Prof Dr Moy Foong Ming, from Universiti Malaya Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, concurred that a vaccination campaign should be set up while also being transparent on the safety, side effects and efficacy of the vaccine.

“The government should be transparent on the safety, side effects and efficacy of the vaccine. The total uptake and among subgroups of vaccination should also be presented to the public.

“The media should publish equally on information of the efficacy and safety as well as the side effects of the vaccine.

“Clear explanation of why the side effects happen, who are the high-risk groups and what are the chances of a side effect that will happen should be presented to alleviate people’s fears,” she said, adding that relevant government agencies should address religious concerns.

Dr Moy added that highlighting the fact that “all vaccines and medicines have some side effects, including Covid-19 vaccine” should be emphasised to the public.

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Trump Blames ‘Fauci And These Idiots’ For His Own Coronavirus Ineptitude

President Donald Trump on Monday lashed out at medical experts and complained about people being tired of hearing about COVID-19, as the confirmed death toll in the U.S. ticked closer to 220,000 and the spread of the disease continued to accelerate.

Trump made the comments on a call with campaign staffers, seeking to pass blame for the pandemic and seemingly lamenting his inability to shift the national conversation.

“People are tired of Covid,” Trump said. “People are tired of hearing Fauci and these idiots, all these idiots who got it wrong.”

“Every time he goes on television, there’s always a bomb, but there’s a bigger bomb if you fire him,” Trump added. “This guy’s a disaster.”

The president was referring to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert and a member of the White House coronavirus task force. Trump has repeatedly sought to undermine and distort Fauci’s comments as the public health expert has called for the implementation of safety protocols throughout the pandemic.

“If there’s a reporter on [the call], you can have it just the way I said it, I couldn’t care less,” Trump said. 

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, adjusts his face mask as he ar Al Drago/Pool via AP Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, adjusts his face mask as he arrives for a Senate hearing in June. He and other public health experts say masks help slow the spread of the coronavirus, but President Donald Trump has often mocked mask-wearing and has refused to back a national mask mandate.

The president returned to the theme in a series of tweets Monday afternoon, claiming Fauci “seems to get more airtime” than he does and contending that Fauci “said ‘no masks & let China in.’”

Early in the pandemic, Fauci didn’t recommend wearing masks out of concern there wouldn’t be enough for front-line workers, but he changed his tune once research showed simple homemade cloth masks worked.

Trump also criticized Fauci for wearing a Washington Nationals mask and having a “Bad arm!” — a reference to Fauci throwing the ceremonial first pitch for the team earlier this year. (Trump has never thrown a first pitch as president, despite several invitations. In July, Trump announced ― then said he had canceled ― plans to throw the first pitch at Yankee Stadium, only for a source to reveal that he’d never actually been invited.)

Roughly 30 minutes after Trump’s tweets, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) dismissed the president’s claims without mentioning him by name:

Sen. Lamar Alexander

@SenAlexander

Dr. Fauci is one of our country’s most distinguished public servants. He has served 6 presidents, starting with Ronald Reagan. If more Americans paid attention to his advice, we’d have fewer cases of COVID-19, & it would be safer to go back to school & back to work & out to eat.

2:36 AM · Oct 20, 2020

56.5K

See the latest COVID-19 information on Twitter

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden called out the president’s attacks as misplaced and counterproductive. He urged Trump to instead formulate a cohesive national strategy to confront the virus.

“Coronavirus infections are spiking across the country, but President Trump decided to attack Dr. Fauci again today ... instead of laying out a plan to beat this virus or heeding their advice about how we can save lives and get our economy moving again,” the Biden campaign said in a statement Monday afternoon.

“The American people have never backed down from a challenge,” the statement continued, “but they need a leader to show the way and all President Trump has done is cower and wallow in self-pity.”

Trump’s comments represent a doubling down on a new presidential pandemic strategy: Blame the experts.

On Sunday, Trump attempted to attack his opponent in the election by saying Biden would follow expert guidance if he were elected.

“He’ll listen to the scientists,” Trump warned at a campaign rally in Nevada. “If I listened totally to the scientists, we would right now have a country that would be in a massive depression, instead of, we’re like a rocket ship. Take a look at the numbers.”

Broadly speaking, it is true that Trump has ignored established science. Evidence suggests, however, that his inaction has inflamed the pandemic and its economic repercussions, not made the situation better.

The president has steadfastly refused to endorse a national mask mandate, going so far as to block a draft order last month from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that would mandate that masks be worn on public transportation.

Scientists and medical experts consider masks to be an effective way to prevent transmission of the coronavirus and safely reopen the economy.

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Coronavirus survives on skin five times longer than flu

 

TOKYO, Oct 18 (AFP): The coronavirus remains active on human skin for nine hours, Japanese researchers have found, in a discovery they said showed the need for frequent hand washing to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

The pathogen that causes the flu survives on human skin for about 1.8 hours by comparison, said the study published this month in the Clinical Infectious Diseases journal.

"The nine-hour survival of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus strain that causes Covid-19) on human skin may increase the risk of contact transmission in comparison with IAV (influenza A virus), thus accelerating the pandemic," it said.

The research team tested skin collected from autopsy specimens, about one day after death.

Both the coronavirus and the flu virus are inactivated within 15 seconds by applying ethanol, which is used in hand sanitisers.

"The longer survival of SARS-CoV-2 on the skin increases contact-transmission risk; however, hand hygiene can reduce this risk," the study said.

The study backs World Health Organisation guidance for regular and thorough hand washing to limit transmission of the virus, which has infected nearly 40 million people around the world since it first emerged in China late last year. - AFP 

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Attacking the brain

Stroke kills more women than men each year but there are preventive steps you can take to minimise your risks.

IN Malaysia, strokes are the third leading cause of death for women, following heart attacks and pneumonia.

For some unknown reasons, many women choose not to join a post-stroke rehabilitation programme.

It is more deadly to women than breast cancer, and if it doesn’t kill you, can leave you with permanent disabilities.

A stroke is sometimes known as a “brain attack.”

It occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain is blocked by a blood clot or plaque, and brain cells begin to die.

Here are some facts about how strokes affect women differently from men:

> More women have strokes later in life.

> After age 85, stroke affects many more women than men.

> It is twice as common for women between 20 and 39 to have a stroke compared to men of the same age.

> Having a history of problems during pregnancy like gestational diabetes or preeclampsia.

> Using hormonal birth control while smoking.

> Being on menopausal hormone therapy during or after menopause.

> Experiencing migraines with aura, atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat), and diabetes.

Many strokes are preventable and treatable.

By knowing your risk factors and making healthy changes, you can minimise your risks of experiencing a stroke.

Three types of stroke

Ischemic stroke is the result of blockage of blood flow to the brain. This is the most common type of stroke, and it happens most often when a person has a blood clot or atherosclerosis, a condition when an artery is clogged with plaque

Hemorrhagic stroke, caused by bleeding into the brain.

This type of stroke happens when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, and blood bleeds into the brain.

An aneurysm, which is a thin or weak spot in an artery that can burst, is responsible for this type of stroke.

Mini-stroke, also called a transient ischemic attack or TIA, can happen when, briefly, less blood than normal flows to the brain.

TIA usually lasts only a few minutes or up to several hours. Many people aren’t even aware that they had a stroke.

Stroke affects different parts of the brain, and depending on which part, you may experience problems with speech, movement, balance, vision or memory.

Division of brain

The brain is divided into four main parts: right hemisphere; left hemisphere; the cerebellum; which controls balance and coordination; and the brain stem, which controls all of our body’s functions that we don’t think about, such as heart rate, blood pressure, sweating and digestion.

A stroke can happen in different parts of the brain.

In the right half of the brain, a stroke can cause:

> Mobility issues on the left side of your body.

> Problems with misjudging distances. This can cause falls, or inability to guide your hands to pick something up.

> Short-term memory loss. You may be able to remember events from 10 years ago, but may forget the directions to your regular grocery store.

> Misjudgement of abilities to do things and unusual behaviour such as leaving your house without getting fully dressed.

In the left half of the brain, a stroke can cause:

> Mobility issues on the right side of your body.

> Difficulty completing everyday tasks quickly.

> Trouble speaking or understanding others.

> Memory problems, or a tough time learning new things.

In the cerebellum, a stroke can cause:

> Dizziness, nausea (feeling sick to your stomach), and vomiting.

> Stiffness and tightness in the upper body that can cause spasms or jerky movements.

> Balance problems.

> Eye problems, such as blurry or double vision.

In the brain stem, strokes are most harmful.

Impulses that start in the brain must travel through the brain stem on their way to the arms and legs, so individuals that suffer a stroke in the brain stem may also develop paralysis.

Beware of these symptoms

Some women are more at risk because of certain health problems, family health history, age and habits. These are called risk factors.

There are certain risk factors that cannot be changed, such as age, race or ethnicity, or family history. The only thing that you can do is to control other stroke risk factors, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and unhealthy eating.

Common symptoms of stroke include:

> Trouble seeing in one or both eyes.

> Severe headache with no known cause.

> Trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination.

> Numbness or weakness of face, arm, or leg, especially on only one side of the body.

> Confusion or trouble speaking or understanding.

Recovering from stroke

The process of recovery can take a lot of time and depends on many factors, like the type of stroke you had, the area of your brain affected, and the amount of brain injury.

Recovery begins once you are medically stable, and this is within a day of suffering the stroke.

Your next steps will involve changes in everyday habits, medicines and rehabilitation.

In some cases, surgeries may be needed to lower the risk of another stroke.

The first step is to learn about your condition and what you should do during recovery.

Your doctor, nurses and physical therapist can answer questions you may have about about the treatment and rehabilitation.

The next critical step is to take steps to prevent another stroke from happening.

Stroke patients are always at a higher risk of having another down the road, so you need to:

> Identify and control your personal risk factors.

> Be consistent with your treatment plan. It is designed to help you recover from your stroke and prevent a recurrence.

> Continue taking medications even if you feel better. Discuss with your doctor before making changes. Also, determine the rehabilitation services you will need.

For unclear reasons, many women do not join a post-stroke rehabilitation programme.

After a stroke, you will often recover some function in the first few months. This is part of the body’s natural healing process.

But women who do go to stroke rehabilitation reap the following benefits:

> Regain as much independence as possible.

> Relearn skills and abilities that were damaged or lost.

> Learn to cope with any remaining limitations.

Setting a goal

Settling a goal can motivate you to measure your progress - TNS

Another important step is to set goals for your recovery.

You need to set realistic and measurable goals for recovery in every area of your life that has been affected.

Stroke recovery may be fast in the first few months, but it may slow down eventually.>>

When you set goals, it can motivate you to maintain progress.

Create a timeline for achieving long-term goals.

Take a multi-step approach for each goal and celebrate the short term wins when you gain them. And finally, don’t give up! The aftermath of a stroke can make patients feel powerless.

Part of your recovery is determining how to live as independently as possible.

Be reasonable with yourself, and be prepared to face challenges as you adapt to the differences in how your body works.

The road to stroke recovery may not be easy, but by focusing on celebrating your progress at every step, you can reach your goals.

Ensure you also have adequate nutrition and nutritional supplements to expedite the healing and recovery process.

Datuk Dr Nor Ashikin Mokhtar is a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, and a functional medicine practitioner. For further information, email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.

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How to recognise signs of a stroke, and what to do ...

Remember "FAST": “Face” (does the face look uneven?), “Arms” (is one arm weak or numb?), “Speech” (does the speech sound strange?), and "Time" (4.5 hours before brain damage). If you notice these signs of a stroke, get the person to a hospital as quickly as possible. — Filepi

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