Under scrutiny: Safety of vaccines against Covid-19

Monday | 12 July | 2021

By Reon Janse van Rensburg

The Covid-19 pandemic has been suffocating the world for more than a year. Every state in the world has put in place a set of measures to try to combat the pandemic. In addition to the devastation that the pandemic is causing to the health of people around the world, the Covid-19 pandemic is also having a devastating effect on the economies of many countries. Several vaccines have been developed over the past year to help fight the pandemic. All medications have some form of side effects and the vaccines currently available are no exception. The question that needs to be answered is how the benefits and risks of the vaccines are weighing up.

In order to evaluate this objectively, the efficacy of the vaccines in comparison to their safety must be considered. In addition, the question must be answered if there are safer alternatives that offer similar outcomes to a vaccine.

Solidarity instructed its researchers to conduct thorough research on vaccines. A comprehensive investigation was launched into the development, spread, safety, risks and other factors concerning vaccination. The Solidarity Research Institute released the full report, in which Solidarity members and the public are advised to make an informed decision regarding vaccination against Covid-19.

Safety

An important question regarding vaccines is how safe they are for use on humans. A vaccine that is exceptionally effective but more dangerous to health than the disease it is trying to prevent is practically useless.

Owing to the rapid development of vaccines, harmful incidents following the administration of the vaccine are accurately reported with a view to rapidly identifying and mitigating additional side effects where necessary.

From the data as reported in the USA and the EU, it is clear that the vaccines are safe for human use in the short term.

The side effects correlate with those identified in the clinical studies, and furthermore, reporting on serious side effects is particularly wide and comprehensive.

There is nothing in the data that suggests that the vaccines used in the US and the EU, and which South Africa intends using, have substantial disadvantages.

None of the effective vaccines offer total protection against Covid-19 infection, but they do give comprehensive protection against serious symptoms and death, according to clinical studies confirmed by the data of eventual vaccinations. Full information in this regard may be found in the report itself.

Data of reported side effects were investigated in depth in this study. Intentionally, no effort was made to simply investigate all the claims on social media. Original data were used, ensuring watertight conclusions. It was found that, to a large extent, the vaccines are indeed safe. As with other medication, there are side effects, but the risk of Covid-19 is much higher than the risk of vaccines.

The data show that claims of large numbers of people dying as a result of vaccines simply are not true. The risk of blood clots and heart-related side effects is small. Most side effects reported are mild and correspond to those of any other vaccine.

Solidarity’s researchers found that it is important that individuals with existing health problems, who are sick now and who have experienced side effects from vaccines in the past, should speak to their doctor first to get certainty on whether it is safe to be vaccinated.

Vaccines such as the Pfizer vaccine must be administered in two doses. People do still get sick after receiving the first dose, but this is not because of the vaccine but because they have contracted Covid-19 in some other way. It has also been found that the vaccines cannot cause or transmit Covid-19.

Following a proper international study, the report found that vaccines are indeed effective. In countries such as Israel, England and Hungary there is a direct correlation between the administration of vaccines and a decrease in infections, hospitalisations and deaths. Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson are effective. We do not feel at liberty to say the Chinese vaccine SinoVac and the Russian Sputnik V vaccine are effective, pending the availability of further real-world data.

The report also shows that Ivermectin may form part of the Covid-19 treatment protocol and that vaccines and Ivermectin should not be seen as opposing each other.

The data show that there is one risk that is much bigger than vaccines, and that is not to use vaccines. If you decide not to be vaccinated, you should seriously consider the concomitant risks. These include your own health and your chances of contracting Covid-19, but also the risk of transmitting Covid-19 to other people. Individuals who are not vaccinated can continue to spread the virus.

However, a core principle that must not be undermined, is freedom of choice. Everyone has the right to bodily integrity, and Solidarity will protect this right. No government and no employer may compel an individual to be vaccinated.

Solidarity will take to court any employer who unlawfully forces his employees to receive the vaccine. And Solidarity certainly will neither subtly nor openly force its members to make a choice. We trust our members to make responsible choices, in accordance with their own unique circumstances.

Making a choice requires good information. Solidarity has a research institute with the best researchers who can conduct original research. This report is the product of comprehensive research by our team. Please visit this link to study the full report: Click here.

 

* All information was correct at the time of publication.