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16 September 2021 | Story Nonsindiso Qwabe | Photo Supplied
Dr Samantha Potgieter.

As COVID-19 vaccines continue to be a topical issue in South Africa and indeed in the world itself, the Department of Human Resources held a webinar for the UFS community on 10 September that delved deeper into the questions surrounding the vaccine. 

Dr Samantha Potgieter, infectious disease expert at the Universitas Academic Hospital and affiliated Lecturer in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of the Free State, addressed some commonly raised concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine and how it affects us.

Dr Potgieter started off by saying that coronaviruses have been causing outbreaks among humans for millennia. While COVID-19 is relatively mild and self-limiting in 80% of patients, 20% of patients are at risk of developing severe disease.
She said before a vaccine could be introduced to a population, it had to go through rigorous testing and clinical trials. Only once safety has been confirmed, it can be released and distributed. 

“This process usually takes about ten years; this is what we are used to. But it has happened much quicker for the COVID-19 vaccine, and I think this is a fact that many people misinterpret – that the evidence might not be that robust, which is certainly not the case. COVID-19 vaccines have gone through all this rigorous testing, thousands of patients had volunteered for trial testing studies. The point is that we already had the technology, vaccination is not something new to humans. So, these preclinical trials were able to happen very quickly, and because of the large number of infections and because the focus of the entire world was on finding a cure, it was a very set process to get these trials through the adequate phases.” 

She said the COVID-19 vaccine was approved by national regulators, manufactured to exacting standards, and only thereafter distributed – as is the case for all drugs released into the market.

How does the vaccine work?

Dr Potgieter said the vaccine works by producing antibodies against the COVID-19 virus. If you are infected with the COVID-19 virus after getting vaccinated, these antibodies bind to the virus and stop it from replicating.

“When you get infected with a disease such as COVID-19, natural antibodies are produced by the immune system to fight the disease. If you get infected again, the immune system will remember how to respond, and quickly destroy the virus. A vaccine can do the same, but without the risk of disease from natural infection. Vaccines work by imitating a bacteria or virus using either mRNA in the case of the COVID-19 vaccine, or a dead or weakened version of the bacteria or virus. The vaccine raises the body’s alarm. It trains the body to recognise and fight the virus. When the body encounters the real-deal virus, it is primed and ready to fight for the body’s health.”

She said South Africa had the mRNA vaccine in the form of the Pfizer vaccine, and the adenoviral vector vaccine in the form of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Why should you get the vaccine?

Dr Potgieter said vaccines are safe and effective, and the most compelling reasons for getting vaccinated are the following:

-To protect yourself from severe disease
-To protect those around you who may be at risk of severe disease
-To restore the social and economic platforms of the country, and the world at large.
She said that while the vaccine does not prevent you from getting COVID-19, it offers better protection against the development of severe disease, and vaccinated people had 50% less chance of spreading the virus.
The most common side effects of the vaccine are the following:
-Pain at the injection site
-Swollen lymph nodes
-Fever
-Fatigue
-Headache
-Myalgia (muscle pain)

“These are indications that the immune system is mounting a response. When it mounts a response, it produces antibodies,” she said.

Answers to commonly asked questions are the following:

1. Can the vaccine alter my DNA?
“No, it goes nowhere near the nucleus of the cell.”

2. What happens when you get COVID in between the first and second doses?
“Some protection is conferred after the first dose, but maximum protection is conferred two weeks after the second dose. Vaccination is still advised.” 

Dr Potgieter said patients who were between vaccinations still show better recovery results than those without.

3. What about natural immunity?
“Natural immunity might confer better protection, but it runs the risk of severe disease. Yes, immunity can be gained through natural immunity, it can be gained through vaccination, and it can certainly be gained by a combination of the two.”

4. What about long-term side effects?
“Serious side effects that cause long-term health problems following any vaccination are very rare, including the COVID-19 vaccination.”

To get the answers to more of your questions, the webinar can be accessed via the following link: https://event.webinarjam.com/go/replay/43/053q6a8vay9a0qa2

News Archive

Grant encourages and enables more learners to enter into science-related studies and careers
2009-06-26

 
At the launch are, from the left, front: Consolation Mochusi, Graad 12 learner from Heatherdale Secondary School, Alexander Bergman, Grade 10 learner from Grey College Secondary School, Danél Prinsloo, Grade 11 learner from Eunice High School; middle: Ms Lea Koenig, Coordinator: ICT Laboratory of the Qwaqwa Campus, Prof. Daniela Coetzee-Manning, Director: CED; back: Ms Elna Fourie, Development Planner from SANRAL, Prof. Teuns Verschoor, Acting Rector of the UFS, Mr Cobus van Breda, Project Coordinator: CED and Mr Nazir Alli, Chief Executive Officer of SANRAL.
Photo: Stephen Collett


 

The University of the Free State’s (UFS) Centre for Education Development (CED) has this week launched a project on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein.
to enable and encourage more learners to enter into science-related studies and careers.

The grant of R4,5 million over a period of three years was made by the South African National Roads Agency Ltd (SANRAL). This week’s function was attended by the representatives of the sponsors and the UFS, as well as learners, parents, principals and Physical Sciences teachers of participating schools.

The grant will be utilised to foster a positive attitude towards Mathematics and Science amongst learners in the early school years as well as raising the knowledge and skills levels of learners in the Further Education and Training (FET) Phase. “This will be done through our Family Math and Family Science Programme for younger learners and through e-Education in Science and Mathematics for learners in the FET Phase,” said Mr Cobus van Breda, Project Coordinator at the CED.

About 330 selected Grade 10, 11 and 12 learners from 16 schools in the Free State are attending Physical Sciences and Mathematics sessions during weekdays at the ICT Laboratories on the Main and Qwaqwa Campuses of the UFS. In order to make provision for the needs of generation Y-learners (techno-clever generation), the project envisages to enhance their understanding of Science and Mathematics principles by utilising the advantages of ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) during the sessions.

On average, learners attend four sessions per term, with one of the sessions a special event like visiting Boyden Observatory, departments at the UFS, etc. Learners will be exposed to about 36 sessions over the three years. Special attention to vocational guidance, in collaboration with the Unit for Prospective Students at the UFS, forms part of the support system of the programme to participating learners.

“Learning is a life-long experience and we must encourage our learners to grab this opportunity to learn more about important fields such as Mathematics and Science. It is a privilege for SANRAL to have this partnership with the CED and the university as it is an indication of our efforts to educate our youth,” said Mr Nazir Alli, Chief Executive Officer of SANRAL.

Mr Alli encouraged learners to grab the opportunity to learn and to make the field of science their career. “Science can be the foundation on which to build your career and this programme can assist you to reach your goal,” he said.

According to Prof. Teuns Verschoor, Acting Rector of the UFS, the SANRAL grant is a wise investment because it is an educational investment. “We cannot cut back on the investments we make in education and SANRAL’s investment in this programme is of benefit to schools and learners in the central region. Through this programme, its bursaries, various career opportunities and ongoing support of schools and universities SANRAL is making a huge contribution to promoting science-related studies and careers in our country,” he said.

Media Release
Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za  
26 June 2009

 

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