It’s been more than one year since people struggled with the Covid pandemic. Hoaxes spread as this pandemic keeps growing. This condition has made people more selective in consuming information.
Seeing this situation, the UGM Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FKKMK) organized a webinar entitled, Myths vs. Facts Concerning Covid-19; Prevention, Vaccine, Diagnosis, and Therapy on Wednesday (24/3). The activity which aims to educate the public on Covid-19 is part of the 75th Anniversary commemoration and Lustrum XV FKKMK UGM.
Two speakers were invited to this webinar: Pulmonology Expert, Ika Trisnawati from the Department of Internal Medicine FKKMK UGM and Allergy Immunologist, Deshinta Putra Mulya. Deshinta Putra Mulya that there are many hoaxes about vaccines in the middle of implementing the national Covid-19 vaccination program. One of them is that the Covid-19 vaccine is dangerous. She appraised that this news was not correct since the vaccine has been through several observations to test its ability in forming antibodies, side effects, and efficacy.
“Statement that says Covid-19 vaccine is harmful is not true. There has been a complex, detailed, and careful observation in its manufacturing,” Deshinta said.
Other fake news spread around the community. For example, the Moderna vaccine was designed to transform human DNA. It was even assumed to have a chip to track people.
“That’s definitely not true. We cannot implant chips by injection,” Deshinta explained.
Another myth is the Covid-19 vaccine has mutated into thousands of new Covid-19 around the world. She confirmed this news as fake because the Covid-19 virus in the vaccine has died. It will not cause mutations. Once the virus is killed, it can no longer mutate.
“People should keep implementing health protocols. Vaccines will not form antibodies right after vaccination. It takes time, and efficacy is different on each vaccine. It’s not 100%, so people still might get infected,” she said.
In the meantime, dr. Ika Trisnawati, M.Sc., Sp.PD-KP., FINASIM., conveyed that there were still so many hoaxes spreading throughout social media. The recent hoax she heard was about the ex-patient Covid has had enough immunity not to get infected. This statement is not true because the immunity will decrease after 2-3 months, so there is a risk of reinfection.
Ika also revealed disinformation about mecobalamin medicine to treat anosmia as one of the Covid-19 symptoms. Chinese Medicine Herbal, Lianhua Qingwen also cannot reduce the severity of Covid-19.
“Lianhua is a type of drug that has the potential to decrease fever, clean the phlegm of the respiratory tract, and relieve sore throat. It is helpful, but it can’t reduce the severity of the condition of Covid-19 patients,” she explained.
She also confirmed that it was not true that the Covid-19 mutation was extremely deadly. It is indeed more infectious, but there has been no scientific evidence that the Covid-19 mutation is tremendously lethal.
“Yes, the mutation is indeed more infectious, but there has been no report mentioned that it is extremely deadly,” she said.
Source: https://www.ugm.ac.id/id/berita/20908-pakar-ugm-bedah-mitos-dan-fakta-seputar-covid-19
