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Embrace the vaccine, escape the pandemic 

21 Jul 2021

The number of allegations levelled by certain parties, especially Opposition parties, against the Government’s Covid-19 management efforts are too numerous to mention. Some of these have been fair criticism while others have been unreasonable. It is a fact that there are certain shortcomings on the part of the Government and the health authorities, even allowing for the fact that we are a debt-ridden, socio-economically unstable and politically divided country.  However, last week, the international community identified Sri Lanka’s Covid-19 management efforts as one of the best in the world. The global statistics website ‘Our World in Data’ showed that Sri Lanka had been ranked second in the world as far as the speed of administration of the vaccine per 100 people was concerned, bested only by Ecuador.  The country is now in a difficult phase of the pandemic, but with the vaccination drive taking place more efficiently, people remain hopeful. However, remaining hopeful and expecting the Government to take the full responsibility of the pandemic situation is not the role of a country’s citizens – their responsibility is in fact bigger than the Government’s and they can do much more than the Government can do to reduce cases. The failure to fulfil the people’s responsibility is not limited to not adhering to safety guidelines; taking the vaccine without hesitation is also a responsibility the people have to fulfill, for themselves and for their fellow citizens.  The pandemic situation in the United States is a perfect example of the consequences of people conveniently forgetting or disregarding their responsibility. Foreign media outlets reported that the number of Covid-19 cases, deaths as well as hospitalisations in the US had climbed drastically within the past few days, sparking fears of another wave of the pandemic, despite the ongoing nationwide vaccination drive. Media outlets quoted US President Joe Biden as urging the people to get vaccinated, and he had done so on previous occasions too. The rise in new cases and deaths came in a context where the US authorities had expressed fears of a ‘pandemic of the unvaccinated’ as the new cases were mostly among those who had not been vaccinated.  The vaccination drive as well as other Covid-19 management efforts in Western countries, especially in the US and in Europe, was not as smooth as Sri Lanka’s efforts. People took to the streets against lockdowns, refused to wear face masks in public and some even refused to actively take part in the vaccination drive. While there are many underlying reasons behind this resistance, the fact that the new cases were mostly among those who had not been vaccinated is a sign that that resistance should have been based on facts, not beliefs. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it is a lesson to other countries including Sri Lanka.  Sri Lanka’s vaccination drive is taking place faster than before, especially after military personnel were entrusted with that task, and unlike before, the priority lists are not as strict as before. Unless you suffer from certain medical conditions and are on certain medications that make you not ready to get vaccinated yet, any person above the age of 30 can get vaccinated from a large number of vaccination centres around the country. Soon, with the inflow of more doses, even those under 30 will be eligible for vaccination.  The Government is providing the resources and guidelines to control the pandemic, and the rest is in the hands of the public. Getting vaccinated is not something you have to do because the Government or the health authorities urges you to, it is a precaution you take for yourself as well as your loved ones and any person you might associate with.  Undue concerns driven by misconceptions, fear of needles and having to stand in long queues at vaccination centres are not good enough reasons to shy away from the vaccine, or risk one’s life and the lives of those around them.


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