Raffin

Academics like that were still around in the early 2000s. but there were many less and they were confined to certain institutions. The research drum was struck loudly, even in the lowest ranking institutions. As an economics degree holder you may be pleased to know that economics started to be applied well to social services, like health and housing. It all went a bit too far as not everyone is suited to research and better if they fully concentrated on teaching, but those skills became less valued. Students didn't get so many lectures from research busy professors.

Philosophical 11

Maybe someone can answer this question....

I understood that the vaccine was to prevent contracting Covid 19, but I have been told to the contrary. It is to stop the manifestation of the symptoms if the virus is contracted. If that is correct, is that the case with all vaccines? Seems incongruous to me that after vaccination you can still contract and spread the virus and if that is the case, when will it no longer be necessary to wear masks/shields and social distancing.......plus the crap that goes with it in the Philippines?

Regards

Gazza-d

Your immune system can't fight something you haven't caught, so a vaccine doesn't stop you catching it but stops or reduces symptoms, It will also hopefully stops further transmission. As the efficacy of the vaccines is less than 100% there will be varying degrees of symptoms presented but hopefully not to the degree of hospitalization or death.
As to the crap in the Philippines you explain women to me and I'll give it a go.

Philosophical 11

Thanks Gazza....I will however pass on your last sentence.

Regards

Raffin

Dr John did a video recently on "breakthrough infections".
UK data from a tracker app gave a 1 in 15,000 chance after 2 vaccines.
US data similar at 1 in 13,275 after 2 vaccines.

Stokkevn

There are two sorts of vaccines out there. There is the traditional one that gives you a very weakened virus which the body immune system can subdue which then makes the body produce antibodies for that particular virus, so as soon as you catch it your antibodies nail the virus with minimum or zero symptoms. The other type of vaccine ( which seems to be most against Covid ) targets one particular part of the virus making it unable to act as a virus and it dies.

So you have been told is partly correct, you do contract the virus but the vaccine either kills or disables the virus before it can do any damage, not just act as a Lemsip.

Philosophical 11

Thanks for your comprehensive reply.

So the idea of a Covid Passport really means nothing.... because you could still be a carrier....and then we have to consider the mutations and variants.

Regards

Gazza-d

Yes mutations are a bit of an unknown but would need to circumvent the bodies immune system. When you get introduced to a virus it needs to be in sufficient numbers to successfully reproduce. This becomes the viral load. The higher the viral load the increased chances of passing it along. If the immune system can prevented this from happening you will not cause transmission. So yes a vaccine passport is useful because it saying you are unlikely to become transmissible, you have gained immunity from a previous infection or vaccine.

Gazza-d

It's just being reported that the Philippines has just been put on the banned list for Hong Kong and Macau are introducing strict quarantine protocols. The Hong Kong government are suggesting that OFW should get vaccinated before leaving Hong Kong as they are on the priority list.

Raffin

On the vaccine passport issue I think their introduction and use is inevitable until the disease gets down to much lower levels worldwide. That could be a long time. The authorities will look at them in the same way as regular passports in that a certain small percentage are fake and many of them used by criminals, terrorists etc. And even if not fake there is still a risk of infection, as discussed here. When countries around the world start to introduce them many are likely not to be deemed acceptable, especially for travel to Western countries.

The use of passports at a local level to gain entry to various facilities and offices is more doubtful as they will be a major inconvenience to daily life. And viewed like masks by those on the right. Schemes will evolve and depending on how they go may increase or decrease.

Gazza-d

There's nothing unique about a vaccine passport, we've had them for years if you have ever been to a yellow fever country. There's a big fuss here in the UK about using them locally because the right see them as discriminatory. To be honest I'd like to know if the guy standing next to me in the bar is trying to kill me.


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Raffin

The yellow fever passport works on the basis of a list of risk countries, most in Africa and America. When I looked at the map an African country I visited a few years ago and needed a YF vaccination for wasn't now listed. I wonder how they will deal with covid, which can change much more quickly. Or maybe there will be the same vaccination requirement from anywhere?

nonthaburi

Agreed, already using a kind of passport here through the government app. Has to be shown to gain entry to all malls, government buildings etc, shops etc. Different colours denote different status. QR code can be scanned for full vaccination, infection details or otherwise.

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freebie

Makati is doing a good job with vaccinating anyone who has a Makati address. Had my first shot last week, next one in 3 weeks. They have a good website and contact one by sms to advise of date of vaccination. Had mine in my barangay and it was very very organised. Was a credit to the Philippines. Now , people in more remote locations may well not be so fortunate.

Bealinehx

Congratulations.
Please let the British Embassy know. It may be of help as they try to secure reciprocal actions for their citizens in the Philippines.