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Fighting the Fake News about the Coronavirus Vaccines
by Dei'ah Vedibur Staff
Ima'le - Omicron is here. Am I protected? Prepared by the Israel Ministry of Health
Influencers and leaders from all parts of the chareidi community gathered to discuss the issues and importance of vaccination against the Covid-Corona threat. Organized by the Ministry of Health, it took place in the Sheba hospital in Tel Aviv. An extensive report appeared in the advertising weekly HaShavua.
Among those attending were senior members of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah including HaRav Shimon Ba'adani, as well as HaRav Shlomo Machpoud and HaRav Shlomo Zaafrani. Also the rov of the Badatz of Beitar HaRav Tzvi Braverman, and the rav of the Badatz of Machzikei HaDas HaRav Chaim Tzvi Shapira, as well as HaRav Meir Flakser, rosh yeshivas Chidushei HaRim. Also HaRav David Iran, HaRav David Yosef, HaRav Yitzchok Yeshaya Weiss and HaRav Yitzchok Meir Lieberman were there. The rov of Elad, HaRav Mordechai Malka, HaRav Tzion Cohen, the rav of Or Yehuda HaRav Masud Ben Shimon, as well as the rabbonim of Bnei Brak HaRav Shevach Tzvi Rosenblatt and HaRav Yitzchok Isaac Landau. Also HaRav Moshe Chaim Lau of Netanya.
Top medical advisors and head of Magen Lacholeh, Rabbi Binyamin Fisher, head of Lemaanchem - Rabbi Yosef Erblish, Director General of Ezer Lachaim, Rabbi Nattan Chishinsky, medical advisor - Rabbi Shlomo Dranger and Director General of Chaveirim Lirpua, Rabbi Baruch Lieberman also attended.
Abba - Omicron is here. Are you protected?
Dr. Erez Garti from the Davidson Institute, who devotes many hours to the battle against disinformation and the promotion of professional and reliable data, warned against the influence of fake news against the vaccines and said, "While erroneous information is not a virus, yet it can claim lives. We find ourselves in a period where information is accessible to all, and precisely because of this, there are people who exploit this fact and disseminate false information. But just as one examines merchandise, one must know how to examine information.
"A year ago, the vaccine was first authorized, causing a revolution in life saving. But it saves lives only if taken. Admittedly, it has side effects but the effects of the disease itself are much greater among children so that, for example, one out of 3,000 children infected with the Corona virus is liable to end up in the ICU ward, while one percent suffers from ongoing symptoms."
In order to get a glimpse at the way disinformation works, Dr. Garti demonstrated: "There are all kinds of rumors like the one which claims that the vaccine strikes at people's fertility. This rumor was a real cause of the death of people who were afraid to be inoculated and today are not around any more. The main problem with this rumor, is that I heard about it in April 2020, well before the vaccine came out. The opponents of vaccinations already decided that it caused infertility."
Professor Arnon Afek, Deputy CEO of the Sheba Medical Center and professor for public health in the Tel Aviv University, member of the advisory staff of Israel Protection and former CEO of the Health Ministry, gave the keynote address at the convention and said, "If only we had many more medicines and vaccines like the vaccine which is the subject of our meeting here. We studied it in depth during the third wave when we saw the rise of infection among adults and the intensive care wards were full, but once the vaccines were administered, these wards became filled with patients who were not inoculated and are not alive now, while the others recovered. The facts are open to all; nothing is being concealed. But we still don't know everything about the vaccine except for one thing: compared to the vaccination, the virus is much more dangerous.
The rabbonim asked about the safety of this vaccination compared to other vaccines. Professor Ayal Leshem of Sheba hospital said: "The danger from the vaccination is very limited and rare. But if someone catches the virus, his risk is ten times greater. Thus, the real question that should be asked is, `Which is less dangerous?' I am happy to report that all the information we have collected about the corona vaccinations are very good. This vaccination is safer than other vaccinations and I have vaccinated all of my children. I feel very good about that."
Rosh Yeshivas Chidushei HaRim, HaRav Meir Flakser, gave a sharp speech and said, "Those who are against the vaccine and spread lies, constitute a criminal sect which must be stopped. They have no regard for human life. I address this sect and ask: How many additional deaths have you caused? The blood of the victims and their children shouts up from the ground. We must save the nation from this so-called pikuach nefesh and really save lives."
HaRav Tzvi Braverman of Beitar said, "Those who died in our city, it was because they were not vaccinated. I feel a responsibility. When there is a matter of pikuach nefesh we close our gemoras and deal with it. This is also pikuach nefesh. We must declare war against those who spread lies. We must stop their publications. We have a great responsibility on our shoulders. Maybe if we had come out earlier against them we would have saved more people and avoided the terrible damage they do.
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