Prof. Nachman Ash: 'Minimal side effects - a little heat and local pain''

December 15, 2020   

Coronavirus project manager, Prof. Nachman Ash, addressed this morning (Tuesday) the rate of those opposed to vaccination and those undecided about whether to get vaccinated at all, which is estimated at 30 percent. Aharon from Beit Shemesh receives 6,400 shekels every month because of depression. Maybe you deserve it too?  In an interview with 103FM radio, Ash said: "Our success in this campaign depends on the number of people vaccinated, if we reach the numbers that will allow us to return to normal life, which is the goal. What threatens this is the low vaccination rate. Therefore, information and persuasion and dealing with fake news are our top concerns. "The rate, at least initially, of people expressing concerns or undecided or opposed is not low, it is several dozen percent - around 30 percent." In his opinion, the key to the campaign's success is the medical teams: "I assume that if the public sees that the medical teams are getting vaccinated, they will also rush to get vaccinated. There is a challenge there too. I think we will be able to convince people of the importance and effectiveness of the vaccine, but there are many other opinions to deal with." Regarding the feelings on the street, he stated: "I am concerned about complacency and an atmosphere of end-of-course" - and clarified that the state will compensate the health funds in the event of a lawsuit following side effects of the vaccine. He also explained why it is important and right to get vaccinated: "This disease, we pay for it with human lives, in long-term effects, is a serious disease. On the other hand, the vaccine as tested by tens of thousands of people shows a high efficiency of 95 percent of people who get vaccinated will not get the disease and will not get a serious disease. At the same time, the side effects are minimal, local swelling, local pain, a little fever for a few days, but that's it. ''Although the vaccine uses new technology, when you study the biology of the technology, there is no special risk here. All vaccines work by presenting a protein of the virus to the immune system, which produces antibodies. Here, the protein is given without the entire virus itself. There are vaccines that rely on a killed virus, here only protein.".

Trying to prevent a complete lockdown

According to recent reports, people with severe allergies that require them to carry a syringe in case of a severe allergic reaction will not be vaccinated. Despite this, Prof. Ash explained: "We are looking into the possibility of the vaccine being given in a hospital in an environment that can treat such a case. The two cases that occurred in Britain that concerned us were treated and are in good condition, so if the vaccine is given under supervision in such cases, it may be safe enough." According to the project manager, the vaccination of most citizens of the country will be extended until March-April, and he is all about the hope that we will all celebrate Passover together, but he emphasized that everything depends on the response to the vaccines. He referred to the possibility of a third lockdown being imposed: "We are trying to prevent a full lockdown with measures that are a little less than a lockdown, which will allow life to continue, albeit limited, but will allow schooling. If that does not work and we see another increase in morbidity, we will be forced to reach a full lockdown.". And why is the continued development of the vaccine at the Biological Institute important even though the vaccines have already been purchased from Moderna and Pfizer? "The capabilities of self-development of such a vaccine are of great importance, I am happy and welcome the development of the vaccine. Even now we want to have all the options. The investment is important and we need to look ahead to the future. There is a risk that we will have outbreaks in the future and the capabilities of the Biological Institute are very important.".