The Republic of Moldova didn’t have sufficient resources to combat fake news during the COVID-19 pandemic, said health specialists according to whom the Moldovans’ fear of the vaccine is due to the lack of correct information on the issue. According to doctors, three vaccine doses need to be administered to ensure adequate protection, not only during half a year, IPN reports.
According to official data, the national one-dose vaccination rate is close to 30%, while the two-dose vaccination rate is over 28%. Health specialists say the low vaccination rate in Moldova is due to the conspiracy theories that are disseminated among Moldovans who lack access to reliable sources of information.
“It was clear that if we do not get vaccinated swiftly, new variants will appear. It was known from the start that the people can be protected by vaccine or by antibodies after becoming infected. We chose to experience the disease. This was the people’s choice. No matter how protection is obtained, it diminishes and the person should either get a booster dose or should experience the disease. It is a human choice. The fear of vaccine is fueled by a number of factors, such as ignorance and access to incorrect information. The information warfare is an element of this pandemic. We didn’t have sufficient resources to fight fake news. There was fake news that deluded not only ordinary people, but even personalities of the medical community who formulated own viewpoints that were taken absolute truths,” international public health expert Ala Tocarciuc stated in the talk show “The Fourth Easter” on N4 channel.
Doctors explain vaccination with more doses is needed because the vaccine does not offer unlimited protection against disease. According to them, the obligation to present the negative result of a PCR test when crossing the state border is justified when the number of cases of infection grows.
“Initially, the authorities’ message was that if the people get vaccinated, they will regain their freedom. The problem of this virus resides in the immunity that is gained if you get infected or by natural ways or if you get vaccinated. The produced antibodies are enough for about six months. When immunization with the first dose was launched, the authorities believed we will reach collective immunity of 70% in six months, but this wasn’t possible. The second dose and later the booster dose were introduced. As the number of cases increased considerably in Europe, a PCR test needs to be mandatorily done. I think we should use rapid tests more as these are rather reliable compared with the first tests that appeared. The PCR test should be probably excluded as it is costly and it takes time to get a result. We could implement rapid testing in parts as rapid tests are more accessible,” said doctor Mihai Stratulat.
According to the Ministry of Health, the highest two-dose vaccination rate is in the municipality of Chisinau – 42%, while the lowest one is in ATU Gagauzia, Sîngerei and Leova districts – 17%-19%. To ensure collective immunity, the national vaccination coverage should be at least 70%.
