Are lockdowns and vaccinations the solution?

This is regarding the editorial “Preemptive move” (8/2/21).

The editorial suggested some measures the government ought to take during the Aug. 6-20 lockdown, among them: “It must also ramp up the country’s vaccination program during the two-week lull in economic activity.”

I would like to point out a seeming contradiction between a lockdown and pushing the vaccination program during the lockdown. I myself have received the vaccination for COVID-19. It took place in a public school. I had to go out and travel to the place and waited for my turn together with some 150 people. Although health protocols were observed at the site, the entire operation did expose me to chances of possibly contracting the virus. Might it not be better to wait for the lockdown to end and afterwards push the program?

Besides, it seems that lockdowns and vaccinations are not the solutions to the pandemic problem. The whole world has been doing lockdowns since the beginning of the pandemic and countries have been conducting vaccinations since the beginning of the year. And here we are again with surges in infections.

Sweden’s chief epidemiologist Anders Tegnell said, “Locking down is saving time. It’s not solving anything.” Sweden has refused to lock down since the pandemic started. Life just continued as before. They suffered the virus and as of this writing had 1.1 million COVID-19 cases and more than 14,600 deaths; their population is 10 million. But their lives and their economy kept on going and they moved freely.

Can we come up with our own solution to the pandemic problem and not just by buying or saving time?

FR. CECILIO L. MAGSINO
cesmagsino@gmail.com