By: Yoga Utama (Coordinator of the Bekasi City Regional Independent Social Media Activist Forum)
At present, almost every country is exploring vaccination programs to combat the spread of Covid-19. Unfortunately, this effort is still constrained by doubts and resistance from some of the community. Studies have shown that psychological and emotional factors influence people’s resistance to vaccination. Therefore, it is important to provide balanced information regarding Covid-19 vaccination and discipline in implementing the Health protocol.
Valid information is important to convey in order to reduce doubts or reluctance or public distrust of vaccinations. In fact, the safety of the Covid-19 vaccine has been guaranteed, especially since there is already evidence. However, there are still parties who do not believe and even incite other communities. That is the biggest obstacle in efforts to protect people from dangerous diseases / viruses, such as Covid-19.
All levels of society must unite, remind and strengthen one another, so that a truth of understanding is formed.
The following are explanations that can help the public to distinguish between hoaxes and facts about the Covid-19 vaccine, namely:
- Many argue that the Covid-19 vaccine is unsafe because the manufacturing process is very fast, which is less than one year. Even though the fact is, even though the Covid-19 vaccine is classified as very fast, it has been confirmed by conducting the first to the last stage trials, so that the vaccine is safe for use in humans.
- Many think that the Covid-19 vaccine can cause death. Even though the fact is, the Covid-19 vaccine only causes symptoms of side effects to a few people who have been vaccinated, not causing death, as widely circulated information.
3.Many think that the Covid-19 vaccine can transmit Covid-19. This information is of course very misleading, due to the fact that the vaccine was made to kill the Covid-19 virus, not transmit the Covid-19 virus, and it can be proven by the absence of a live Covid-19 virus in the vaccine.
- Many think that if you have been vaccinated against Covid-19, you don’t need to wear a mask anymore. In fact, people who have been vaccinated still have to wear masks and adhere to health protocols until everyone is vaccinated and the immune system has been created to fight the Covid-19 virus.
With the socialization and literacy of the understanding of vaccination, it is hoped that the public will no longer worry about hoax information about the Covid-19 vaccine and can be more careful in accepting the truth of the information circulating about vaccinations. Let’s support the national vaccination program by fighting hoax and disinformation news with positive literacy movements.
