Kinshasa, June 19th, 2021 (CPA).- The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) plans in the near future to vary the vaccines against Covid-19 to strengthen the health response to this pandemic, the third wave of which is clearly more virulent than the first two.
This desire to use the variety of anti-Covid-19 vaccines in the DRC was expressed by the Head of State, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi, on June 12, 2021 because vaccination against this disease has not yet managed to take off in this country. country. There is a serious problem of crisis of confidence of the population with regard to the vaccine from the Anglo-Swedish laboratory AstraZeneca, the only one used to date and which has been supplied to the DRC by the COVAX mechanism, a partnership between the Coalition for Innovations in Epidemic Preparedness (CEPI), Gavi (Global Vaccine Alliance), UNICEF and WHO. There were reports last March of side effects, including blood clotting disorders in a few people who received this vaccine in a few countries in Europe, yet AstraZeneca, a vaccine approved by the WHO, is being released. currently the best-selling and most used worldwide.
The vaccination campaign against Covid-19 in the DRC launched on April 19, 2021 has seen very low participation by the population. Thus, from April 19 to June 16, 2021, only 39,359 people were vaccinated against Covid-9 in 7 provinces of the DRC (Kinshasa, Haut-Katanga, Nord-Kivu, Kongo Central, Lualaba, Sud-Kivu and Haut-Uélé ).
It is necessary to further popularize the key messages on anti-Covid-19 vaccination in the DRC in order to convince priority people who have not yet been vaccinated. Currently, scientists from all sides recognize that vaccination is the best way to protect against Covid-19 and its complications. It is in addition to other measures such as physical distancing, wearing a medical mask or face covering and washing hands.
WHO has already approved 4 vaccines against Covid-19
The World Health Organization (WHO) has already approved four (4) vaccines against Covid-19. There is Johnson and Johnson, a single dose vaccine, and Pfizer / Biontech, a vaccine that is over 95% effective in two doses. There is also Moderna, a vaccine whose storage is less restrictive, and AstraZeneca which is the best-selling vaccine in the world, and which is administered in two doses. More than 2.5 billion doses of AstraZeneca have been ordered.
The Covid-19 vaccines offered by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have been shown to be 94% effective for the tens of thousands of adults who have participated in clinical trials (including thousands of seniors over 65).
Participants in clinical trials of Covid-19 vaccines (from Pfizer and Moderna) have reported mild and moderate adverse reactions.
Covid-19 vaccines are safe for people living with HIV
All information indicates that the vaccines against Covid-19 under development or authorized by health agencies are safe for the vast majority of the population, including people living with HIV.
Vaccines contain parts of the genetic material of SARS-COV-2 (the virus that causes Covid-19). These stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies against the spike protein used by SARS-COV-2 to attach to human cells.
For people living with HIV, Covid-19 vaccines provide the same benefits as any other person or community. They protect against this serious disease caused by SARS-COV-2 and potentially reduce the transmission of this virus.
Covid-19 vaccines confer protection against disease by triggering an immune response against SARS-COV-2. The immunity acquired through vaccination reduces the risk of developing the disease and its consequences. ACP/
