EXPLAINER: As Medsafe provisionally approves the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for use in New Zealand, the medical community is increasingly concerned about misinformation and scaremongering circulating online.
From fears the vaccine could give you the disease itself to claims it contains a microchip linking to cell towers via 5G technology for population surveillance, theories abound.
There are also more common fears, such as worrying that the Covid-19 vaccine development and approval for use was rushed and could be unsafe.
Chris McKeen/Stuff
Auckland University vaccinologist Dr Helen Petousis-Harris, one of New Zealands leading voices about everything to do with vaccines, has been doing immunisation-related research since 1998.
Its fair enough to be concerned when you cant avoid hearing these things and you might not have seen all the relevant information, Auckland University associate professor and vaccinologist Dr Helen Petousis-Harris said.
READ MORE:* Covid-19: PM says government approval for Pfizer vaccine possible next week* Covid-19: NZ's Medsafe in touch with Europe after handful of vaccine-linked deaths among frailest patients* Covid-19: How the vaccine rollout will work
But vaccine hesitancy could prevent the country from reaching a critical mass of immunised people where it is safe to re-open the borders, or lead to more deaths when we do.
Petousis-Harris answered the main questions and fears that have come up recently. Her responses are edited for clarity.
ROB KITCHIN/STUFF
Medsafe group manager Chris James outlines the vaccine approval process.
Will I be forced to get vaccinated against Covid-19?
No.
Wasnt the development of Covid-19 vaccines rushed? I would feel safer waiting a bit longer.
Normally, big pharmaceutical companies develop vaccines slowly and carefully from one phase to the next because they invest billions of dollars, and they want to make sure their product will have the better chance of success. Regulatory agencies are a real hurdle as well and people dont necessarily collaborate.
Whats happened this time is that all these barriers were removed. Different pharma companies worked together, which is unheard of.
David Goldman/AP
Vaccine hesitancy could prevent the country from reaching a critical mass of immunisation where it is safe to re-open the borders, medical professionals fear.
Massive funding came from many places. Authorities fast-tracked processes, without skipping any steps.
The clinical trials are as big, if not bigger than usual, and are progressing quickly because there is so much disease.
The technologies were already there because of what we learned from the previous MERS and SARS outbreaks. It just goes to show what can happen when you throw lots of money and motivation at something.
1 NEWS
Frontline border staff will be first in line for the Pfizer vaccine, the first approved for use in NZ.
What about the approval process? Was it thorough?
Unlike other countries, New Zealand did not have an emergency authorisation process for Covid-19 vaccines. Medsafe streamlined its processes to prioritise their evaluation.
Normally, drug companies submit thousands of pages of information at once and then Medsafe starts looking at it. With the Covid-19 vaccines, Pfizer and other candidates have been feeding information to Medsafe right from the beginning.
It has been a rolling process for months and now we have reached the stage where there is enough information for approval.
Oded Balilty/AP
A healthcare professional prepares a Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine in Israel, where mass vaccinations are under way.
I heard the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine (which was given provisional approval by Medsafe on Wednesday) might be associated with an increased death rate for frail, elderly people. Is this true?
A small number of deaths in frail older people who received a Covid-19 Pfizer-BioNTec vaccination were reported in Norway. Following initial concerns, a World Health Organisation vaccine safety review found that the frail and elderly who had received the Pfizer vaccine did not have a higher than expected death rate.
Every day, people get sick and die. When you go and vaccinate a lot of people all at once, of course by chance you are going to see a lot of things happen. Most countries will follow this very closely, and we have the benefit of their experience.
TVNZ
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces the approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for use in New Zealand.
Will the vaccines be effective against the UK and South African strains?
The Pfizer vaccine looks likely to be good against the UK strain. It might be less effective against the South African strain. It might have to be updated in future but can already offer good protection against Covid-19.
Why are we rushing to vaccinate New Zealands entire population when there is no community transmission here?
We are pretty keen to open up the borders and get back to normal.
We cannot do that unless most of us are immune.
But wouldnt I be better off increasing my immunity through vitamins, exercise and diet? I fear getting vaccinated will decrease my immunity.
It is always ideal to eat a healthy diet and do all of those things that optimise your immune system. But healthy people get infected as well.
Vaccines dont weaken your immune system, they strengthen it. People think that the injection will overwhelm the immune system but it only provokes an immune response.
Some vaccines, such as the measles vaccine, can even improve your immunity and stop you getting other diseases as well.
Chris McKeen/Stuff
Petousis-Harris says the approval process for Covid-19 is thorough.
Could a microchip be inserted through a vaccine?
You need a much bigger needle to include a microchip they are huge. Whoever you think is trying to control the population through the vaccine could use much cheaper and easier ways to do it such as cell phones.
I heard the flu vaccine makes some people unwell. What if the Covid-19 vaccine makes me sick?
Some people feel a bit crook after a jab but it is not because they have an infection. Those are the symptoms when your body makes an immune response.
They might last a day or so and are usually very mild. Most people don't have any symptoms but a few might feel a bit off for a day or two.
A small minority of people might have a high fever and feel unwell and that is not desirable but that does not last for long.
I am young and healthy. Is it worth taking the risk of getting vaccinated when my chances of complications and dying from Covid-19 are so low?
Actually a lot of young people do end up being hospitalised with Covid-19 and some even die. Those risks are much higher than getting vaccinated, which is safe.
We should not underplay the problems some young and healthy people are facing long after having Covid-19.
The long-haul Covid-19 effects are quite scary [symptoms include crippling fatigue and brain fog, severe breathlessness, heart palpitations, chest pain and badly aching muscles or joints].
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Covid-19 vaccine: Was it rushed? Is it safe? Could it be used to spy on the population? An expert addresses key questions and fears - Stuff.co.nz
