If You Choose To Be Unvaccinated, Fine. Don’t Rely Solely On Your “WhatsApp Friends” For Medical Advice.
“I saw it on WhatsApp”, “someone sent me on WhatsApp”, “My friend from WhatsApp said this” — if you have heard these phrases before, especially coming from your unvaccinated parents or grandparents, perhaps you should send them this article for a read.
Ever since COVID vaccines were made available, skeptics have been making use of messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram to warn others to stay away from it. The standard storylines of COVID being a “plandemic” and the vaccines being another way for the governments to push forward their “agenda” are repeatedly used over and over again.
These beliefs aren’t problematic on the surface. It is your body, your choice. If you decided not to take the vaccine and you’re lucky to have mild COVID symptoms or even better, if you managed to never catch COVID, good for you. If you decided not to take the vaccine and you are one of the unlucky ones who had to suffer from more serious COVID symptoms, you only have yourself to blame.
The problem comes when instead of merely having a belief, the “beliefs” are being propagated by “WhatsApp Friends” who start asking you to resort to alternative means of “curing COVID”, especially if these alternative means are not medically approved.
Vanessa’s Story
On 3 October 2021, Facebook user Vanessa Koh shared in a post that her mother has been hospitalized after suffering from side effects of Ivermectin. Her mother resorted to the illegal drug after being convinced by her Church friends from Risen Christ Church “Judy Koh” and “Clara Ng” that “Ivermectin will help to purge out the vaccine and COVID”.
According to Vanessa, Judy was the one who ordered the Ivermectin tablets on behalf of the trio. Judy and Clara then warned Vanessa’s mother that the mRNA vaccines were against their religion. When they found out that Vanessa registered for Sinopharm vaccines for her mother, they also warned that if she took the second dose she would not go to heaven.
“COVID Know-It-All experts Judy Koh and Clara Ng have convinced my mom that
1. MRNA was against their religion. That if they are allowed to take, Jesus would reach out to them directly.
2. Upon knowing my mom got signed up for Sinopharm by me, it was also a taboo and they will not go Heaven by the time they take the 2nd jab.
3. Ivermectin will help to purge out the vaccine and COVID.”- Vanessa Koh
After consuming the drug, Vanessa’s mother unfortunately suffered from its side effects which includes dizziness, vomiting/nausea, loss of appetite, severe joint pain, tiredness, and the inability to walk/stand. She was hospitalized as a result.
Due to her mother’s strong reliance on her friends, Vanessa was unable to get through to her mother without straining their relationship (which would lead to the mother consuming the drug anyway). Thankfully, Vanessa knew of the mother’s possession of the drug. Hence, she was able to inform the doctor about the mother’s use of Ivermectin and the appropriate medical treatment could be administered in time.
Some Takeaways
There is a reason why oral ivermectin has still yet to be approved in many nations. Ivermectin is used for treating infections caused by certain parasites, such as scabies or lice. Topical ivermectin is used for treating fungal infections. COVID is not a parasite. Doctors, pharmacists, and scientists warn of the drug for a good reason. There is no reason why their advice should be so easily superseded by your “WhatsApp friends”.
“Discuss with your family, no matter how you feel your good friends are better because they are more pious. Because sitting outside the A&E was not Judy Koh or Clara Ng. It was Vanessa Koh. Because sitting outside at the taxi stand hospital is not Judy Koh or Clara Ng. It was Vincent Koh. Because sitting at the admission counter paying for the bill is not Judy Koh or Clara Ng. It was Vanessa Koh.
Do not let the Judy-s and Clara-s in your life overlook the people that truly matters. Family.”
- Vanessa Koh
As for the belief that the mRNA vaccines would land you in hell, here’s a message from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore about the morality of the vaccines.
