"The main reasons for the tendency to receive fake COVID passports"

Question: Doctor, why do people in Azerbaijan try to get a fake COVID passport with a bribe, approaching vaccination with caution?

Answer: From the very beginning, there have been unfounded rumors about vaccines. In some cases, people become infected at the time of vaccination, and as we know, the vaccine begins to protect only four weeks after the second dose; as a result, infected people become ill after the first dose of the vaccine and associate it with the vaccine. And such rumors spread among relatives and acquaintances. These are the main reasons for the tendency of the population to receive fake passports.

Question: Do you think this is directly due to distrust of the government, the decisions of the TABIB, or the health system? Or are there other reasons?

Answer: The trend of distrust of the government and the health system is currently observed all over the world. We often see anti-quarantine demonstrations in European countries as well. There is a lot of distrust in our country too, and there is probably a great need for awareness-raising.

Question: But an ordinary nurse cannot dare to issue a fake COVID passport. It is likely that someone is behind the issuance of fake passports. Such views are widespread among the public and on social networks. Who do you think is behind this machination and bribery?

Answer: The fight against the issuance of fake passports is a very serious issue at this critical time. In fact, the state has very strict control over it. For example, in vaccination-related clinics, SSS (State Security Service, police, and hospital management are monitoring vaccination. It seems that there are some gaps in the monitoring of some clinics, and the result is a certain negative situation. In some cases, such frauds are committed by nurses, and in some cases, at the level of hospital management. We can also see this in the official information spread by law enforcement agencies.

Question: Doctor, what is the reason for the recent increase in the number of coronavirus infections and deaths among those infected? Many experts on social media rightly compare the current situation with the same period last year. There were no vaccinations in the country at the same period last year but there were very few cases of infection and death. Why have so many infections occurred after vaccination? What is the secret?

Answer: There are several reasons for the recent rapid increase in the number of infections: Delta variant (this variant spreads 40-60% faster), permission for weddings (as you know, there are many kissings and contacts at weddings, no masks are worn, and it is impossible to observe the rule of social distancing), indifference to the wearing of masks among the population, and the weakening of state control over it. All of them have effects on the current situation; therefore, we have witnessed rapid growth. Currently, weddings are held less in connection with the month of Muharram, and due to the increase in the number of wearing masks, the number of infections has become relatively stable. We must take into account that last year at this time, there was a strict quarantine regime. Therefore, the epidemiological situation was better.

Question: What are they doing right and what are they doing wrong to prevent the disease in Azerbaijan? What are your suggestions for preventing the disease, as well as creating an atmosphere of trust?

Answer: In my opinion, during vaccination, in addition to the PCR test, a blood test should have also been required. Detection of antibodies in blood tests is an indicator of community immunity. Persons other than those who had immunity (those who had recovered from the disease) should primarily be vaccinated. In other words, those who have not been exposed to the virus should have been vaccinated in the first place, so it would be more effective. But now most of those vaccinated are those who had recovered from the disease but had not registered as a patient. Instead, those who had no contact with the virus have been excluded from vaccination. There is a need for special educational videos on TV for vaccination, people are more inclined to believe the rumors but it is possible to prevent it with awareness-raising.

Kamran Mahmudov