Against the mental vaccine: party ahead

Many people are happier when told they have won an award than when they actually receive it. With the vaccine against the new coronavirus, something similar can happen. And it can be a mistake that will cost us our lives.

The recent announcements of the vaccine from Pfizer and Russia’s Sputnik V regarding its high efficacy are good news. But first, we have to keep in mind that this is hardly about press announcements and a partial cut of testing.

The true effectiveness will be known and corroborated when the Phase 3 trial is completed and the data is published in full for other experts to review. This will happen in several months.

It is not necessary to celebrate before receiving the award. The vaccine has yet to reach Argentina. There are at least two months until the arrival of the first doses, according to the optimistic announcement from the national government. The production, international distribution and local distribution processes take time and lengthy negotiations.

However, just knowing that we will have a vaccine soon is already causing many people to relax essential preventive measures to avoid contagion.

The use of the chinstrap, reducing encounters with other people (especially those over 60), physical distancing and ventilation of confined spaces are still the only vaccines we currently have, until the arrival of injectables.

A fulcrum

All is not skeptical and pessimistic. Advertisements give us a foothold. Before, the world suffered not only from the pandemic, but also from uncertainty. The uncertainty of when this state of permanent quarantine would end and of living with an unresolved disease that not only wreaks havoc on health, but also economic, social and emotional havoc.

Now we have a “virtual certainty”: the vaccines can work and would arrive in Argentina in early 2021.

To paraphrase a politician: “we have to spend the spring” with as few infected as possible. Because less infected will be fewer deaths, who in 2021 will be able to save their lives by receiving the vaccine.

Moreover, if the vaccination campaign starts with a low rate of infections, we will be able to control the epidemic faster than if we start to vaccinate with many cases daily.

Many people are looking forward to the holiday season and gatherings with family, colleagues and friends to say goodbye to this tragic and unforgettable year 2020.

You have to get this idea out of your head. This may be our last sacrifice to end the pandemic. The authorities should contribute with this idea. They need to continue to raise awareness of the importance of continuing to take care of ourselves and avoiding social gatherings now and at the end of the year.

Second hello

If we don’t realize it this spring, we Argentines will be sowing the seeds for a second wave before the vaccine arrives.

What happened with the first wave in Europe made people take better care of themselves as they saw how family and friends died or suffered from severe Covid-19. This behavior has been described as “immunity to shit”.

This psychological effect wore off as authorities began to control the infections. And the European summer mobilized more people to meet and go on vacation in other countries. This has caused the embers of the coronavirus to restart and the virus to spread across most of Europe.

Argentina seems to have controlled the daily increase in cases and with it “immunity to shit” ceases to have effect. The news of the vaccine contributes to the relaxation of measures.

But now is the time of the last effort. Let’s avoid the mental vaccine as this pandemic is over. Do not celebrate the prize until we receive it.