Hosted by EIC Mikael Angelo Francisco, Ask Theory shines the spotlight on Pinoy scientific brilliance, in a fun and entertaining “kwentuhan” format. Each episode of Ask Theory features a Pinoy scientist from one of the various scientific disciplines. In a very casual conversation, guests explain what they do in simple terms, as well as share their fascinating stories: how they got into science, the challenges they face, what motivates them to pursue their fields, what future scientists from the Philippines can look forward to, and so much more.
Episode 19: Safe Ba Talagang Magpabakuna Kontra-COVID-19?
It’s been more than a year since the COVID-19 pandemic turned our world upside down. Many struggled and continue to struggle to put food on their table while trying to avoid getting infected. Many got infected, some multiple times. And many – way too many – lost their lives or their loved ones to the virus. The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in the Philippines is a ray of light in this seemingly endless bleakness; a beacon of hope promising some semblance of normalcy. However, it’s important to understand exactly what kind of protection these vaccines can offer – and what we can safely do after we get vaccinated.
Our guest on today’s show is Dr. John Wong, a Filipino epidemiologist with over 30 years of experience in epidemiology and health systems research. In 2016, he became the first Filipino to win the Roux Prize, an international award that honors innovation in the application of disease burden research, from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (or IHME) of the University of Washington. He is a co-founder and current senior technical adviser of EpiMetrics, a public health research firm, where he continues to work with the Department of Health, IHME, and USAID, among others, in reforming the health system, while training and working with young researchers in public health.
We talked about what Pinoys need to know about COVID-19 vaccines, what we can and can’t do after getting the COVID-19 vaccine, how to prepare ourselves in case a family member gets infected, how COVID-19 variants affect vaccine effectiveness, why we’re sure that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and that they weren’t “rushed,” and more.
Listen to Ask Theory Episode 019: Safe Ba Talagang Magpabakuna Kontra-COVID-19? here:
(Full transcript to follow; watch this page for updates)
This episode of Ask Theory was made possible by EpiMetrics, a Philippine-based health research institution, as part of a special initiative called Life Stages: How to Do Everything Again Differently, supported by SM Prime Holdings and the National Resilience Council.
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Music: Hopeful Cinematic Ambient by bdProductions
