There Are 206 COVID-19 Vaccine Hoaxes On Social Media, Doctors Ask To Be Corrected Persuasively

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Communications and Informatics on Friday (4/6) found 206 hoaxes about the COVID-19 vaccine on various social media platforms with a total distribution of 1592. Of that number, the largest distribution of 1445 came from Facebook, followed by Twitter (82) and YouTube (41). ). In order to deal with this hoax, the Ministry of Communication and Informatics cooperates with ministries, institutions and local governments.

The public is also asked to be careful after receiving information related to vaccines and to check the truth of the information, one of which is by accessing s.id/infovaccin.

A specialist in internal medicine consultant immunology allergy from RSCM, Suzy Maria, reminded that there should be no coercive concept when the government tries to correct false information or hoaxes from other people, including regarding the COVID-19 vaccine and post-immunization follow-up events (AEFI).

"We first ask what he is worried about, afraid of from the vaccination. In a good way, we try to explain, straighten out the false information that he believes. There should be no concept of coercion, insistence because if that is the case, there is no end," he said. in the online elderly webinar organized by Geriatri.id with the Indonesian Medical Gerontology Association (PERGEMI) and various other parties, quoted from ANTARA, Sunday, June 6.

Suzy said, in principle, drugs or vaccines have benefits as well as side effects. However, these side effects have been known since the vaccine is in the clinical trial phase. The effects that appear are often mild. Meanwhile, if it is fatal, the use of the vaccine will be discontinued or the permit will not be used by anyone.

Side effects of the Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines, for example, are very common, ranging from pain at the injection site, warmth or itching, swelling, feeling unwell, tired or feeling feverish and headache. However, there are also people who do not experience any effects after being vaccinated.

"Most often the side effects are mild. If there are fatal ones, there must have been follow-up, discontinuation of use, not allowed and so on. We must believe that vaccination, especially if it is a government program, is a good thing, has many benefits and has been assured of safety , said Suzy.

He said vaccination was one of the most cost-effective ways to prevent vaccine-preventable diseases, including COVID-19.

Currently there are many types of vaccines and more than 30 special types for infectious diseases. These vaccines can prevent 2-3 million deaths of people worldwide.

Vaccines try to form active immunity from the body. One day when someone who has been vaccinated is exposed to the cause of the disease, his body is ready to fight it, so he doesn't get sick. Even if it hurts, then the degree will not be heavy.

"The vaccine does not cause disease, the risk is much smaller than the risk of complications due to natural infection," said Suzy.