Covid Breakthrough Infection....a Big Misnomer!

 The reason covid is still raging hard around the world is because of high prevalence of unprotected people mainly for two reasons. Inequitable distribution of vaccines and the predominance of antivaxers. Vaccine non-believers  continue to deny the value of not only personal protection but also against the benefits of covid immunization. For whatever reason it maybe one thing that fuels more of their skepticism is perfectly our own fault of which I shall explain.  

We've pretty much heard of the word "breakthrough infection" after covid vaccination including those that received their booster shot. This is the wrong word to use in light of the fact that immunization did not and was never intended to prevent infection 100% of the time. The idea dates back to our experience with the common flu virus. We give flu shots yearly despite the fact that  we know it cannot be prevented symptomatic infection 100% of the time, however should an immunized person gets the flu, it is easier and manageable. That has always been the idea of immunization. Fast forward covid vaccine, for some reason somehow the standards changed with the idea that immunization is thought of as a 100% shield against symptomatic infection...a big MISTAKE! This dates back from the time how mRNA vaccine makers define vaccine efficacy. Their phase-3 trials have shown that at least 95% of the time symptomatic infection is prevented and since then the bar on vaccine efficacy has become so high that it is virtually impossible to replicate it in the real world. The word breakthrough implies failure and therefore should be discouraged. This definition merely fuels the  antivaxers into believing that despite immunization people are still getting sick so why should we get immunized?

We know from real world experience that with our current surge the mortality from  Omicron variant were almost always coming from the unvaccinated while those who got immunized and boosted death was prevented 95% of the time. Isn't this a big enough proof of vaccine efficacy? Experts are now starting to believe that the bug is slowly behaving like an ordinary flu for  the vaccinated and boosted. 

The world can only heal as one and for as long as there is an no equitable distribution of vaccines normalcy will be difficult to achieve.  For now the  question we should ask ourselves as healthcare providers is to avoid using the word  breakthrough infection as I have already alluded to earlier. It is time to get our act together and get over with our alarmist view and look at all these based on reason rather than emotion.