It'sIt's been more than one year since people dealt with the Covid pandemic. A lot of hoaxes spread as this pandemic keeps growing. This condition has made people more selective in taking information into their minds. Seeing from this situation which at once a moment of commemoration of its 75th Anniversary and Lustrum XV, 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 goal of this webinar was to educate people regarding Covid-19. There were two speakers invited to this webinar. They were from the Department of Internal Medicine FKKMK UGM, namely Pulmonology Expert, dr. Ika Trisnawati, M.Sc., Sp.PD-KP., FINASIM., and Allergy Immunologist, dr. Deshinta Putra Mulya, M.Sc., SP. PD-KAI., FINASIM.
Dr. Deshinta Putra Mulya, M.Sc., SP.PD-KAI., FINASIM., discussed one of the disinformation news spread around the community. It was about the Covid-19 vaccine that was deemed to be harmful. 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 was not true. There has been a complex, detailed, and careful observation in its manufacturing," Deshinta said.
Other disinformation news spreading around the community, such as the Moderna vaccine, was designed to transform human DNA. It was even assumed to have a chip to track people.
"That was definitely not true. We cannot implant chips within the injection," Deshinta explained.
Again, disinformation news about vaccines has mutated into thousands of new Covid-19 around the world. She confirmed this news as disinformation because a vaccine was proposed to kill the virus. Once the virus is killed, it can no longer mutate.
"Moreover, stop implementing health protocols is not allowed. Vaccines will not form antibodies right after vaccination. It takes time, and there is also efficacy on each vaccine. It'sIt'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 news was considered not exactly true because immune to ex-patients Covid will decrease during 2-3 months. Thus, they might still get infected with Covid-19.
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 kind 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.
Author: Ika
Photo: Illustration