Top Boholano pulmonologist Dr. Bryan Cepedoza confirms during a radio interview on Aug. 13, 2021, that based on his practice, all of his Coronavirus disease (Covid) patients who got hospitalized were unvaccinated.
This was the revelation made by Cepedoza during his guesting in the top-rated afternoon program Newsmakers ug Uban Pa over dyTR hosted by the mother and son tandem of Ardy and Chandymar Araneta-Batoy.
“Sa mga na-admit sa tambalanan, kasagaran sa mga cases mao ang moderate, severe or critical. So kanang tanan nga na-admit wala jud vaccinated ana,” he said.
He added that among the Covid patients he handled, around 90% are severe cases, 5% of the cases are considered critical, and the remainder are considered to be moderate cases.
Cepedoza said that some of his hospitalized patients were willing to get vaccinated but got infected before having the chance to be inoculated.
There are also patients, who are either senior citizens or persons with co-morbidities, but declined the chance of getting inoculated. These persons opted not to get vaccinated prior to getting infected with Covid as they heard fake news about the adverse effects of the vaccines.
Cepedoza appealed to the public that there is no reason to be afraid of the vaccines and the reported adverse effects of the anti-Covid jabs are baseless.
“Dili ta mahadlok sa bakuna, kay kadtong naay bakuna, kun maigo sa Covid, kay ang sintomas mild o moderate lang,” he said.
The pulmonologist guarantees that the vaccines offered to the public against Covid are effective in preventing people from getting infected with the virus and from eventually landing in the hospital.
GETTING TESTED
Cepedoza was asked if it is ideal that a person gets Rapid Antigen Test with negative result before vaccination, to make sure that the person doesn’t have the virus at all. Cepedoza answered by saying that in an ideal world, it would be great to subject first a person to a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test prior to inoculation to ensure that the vaccine recipient is healthy and free from any Covid infection.
The doctor, however, does not recommend the rapid antigen test, as this kind of test is not accurate compared to the PCR test, which is the gold standard when it comes to detecting Covid infections.
Since the PCR test takes time to get released, the waiting time may become a window of opportunity for the virus to infect a person, the doctor stressed.
Cepedoza also emphasized that even if a person is possibly infected with Covid and has symptoms, this should not be a hindrance to decline the opportunity to get the jab.
ON BOOSTERS
Cepedoza added that the guideline regarding the administration of booster vaccines remain in limbo as of now, pending the release of the studies conducted by experts worldwide.
He explained that, normally, over time, the number of antibodies produced after vaccination decline and booster shots are given to stimulate the immune system to produce more antibodies to help protect the body against contagions.
Yet the need to have booster jabs is not yet recommended as experts are yet to arrive with a unanimous decision regarding the matter.
He said people who would like to get booster shots may do so at their own risk.
However, personally, Cepedoza said that if only there is a surplus in vaccine supply, he would have himself inoculated with a booster shot.
Although, he also clarified that there is no clear evidence to suggest that there is a real need to get booster shots for those who are already deemed fully vaccinated.
VACCINE MIXING
He said, too, there is no evidence yet to suggest that vaccine mixing is fine.
Vaccine mixing refers to getting a brand of vaccine as the second jab, which is completely different from the brand used for the first dose.
Cepedoza stressed that there is a need to conduct studies to determine whether or not vaccine mixing would not result to adverse events.
Reports, however said, that the Department of Health approved the use of AstraZenica’s vaccine as second dose for those inoculated with Sputnik V as their first dose.
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
Cepedoza was asked this question: “Muabot ba kaha ang panahon. Doc, nga ang Covid matambalan na gyud susama lang sa ordinaryng hilanat o tuberculosis of the lungs ba kaha? [Will the time come when Covid will be cured just like ordinary fever or TB of the lungs?]
To this question Cepedoza said that with advanced medical technology, in the future, it is possible that people would consider Covid just like the common cold as, hopefully, by then, medicines shall have already been invented for Covid and the vaccines shall have become widely available. When that time comes, then, mankind will eventually control the spread of the disease that changed the world.
“Possible na sya kay ang atong technology karon paspas man ang development ug muabot gyud ang panahon nga kun naay Covid [ang usa ka tawo] muingon lang ta ah, naa kay Covid ah okay ra na,” Cepedoza said.
We hope and pray that time shall be now. As for people who listened to the interview of Dr. Cepedoza conducted by the mother and son tandem of Ardy and Chandy Batoy, they sent their messages on air expressing their gratitude to the physician, who they say, is really needed today. The comments claim that Cepedoza is a kind of doctor we need in this pandemic. He is one who exhibits Compassion, Understanding, Empathy, Honesty, Competence, Commitment, Courage and most of all, kindness to his patients. Somebody even said that he is one of our MODERN HEROES today.