We are no longer in the 19th or 20th century. The use of receiving results of tests performed in analysis laboratories electronically is widespread. The same procedure could be easily used to collect in a systematic way clear information of unforeseen symptoms or side effects.
It would be enough to create a dedicated website, not necessarily centralized at the country level, since the quantity of vaccinations would justify its statistical usefulness even with a regional management, with an online questionnaire (that can be answered in a few minutes) which allows identifying the major issues: type and batch of vaccine, date and place of vaccination, observed anomalous effect, for example. This databank would allow people to register the observed problem and to put it in relation to similar problems presented with the same vaccine or batch of vaccines for any further investigation that may be necessary.
Research on rare case is not only important for the most adverse cases, as it happened for the deaths and thrombosis that a few weeks ago led to the suspension of AstraZeneca, despite the careful EMA analysis of the cases which led to confirm that at least for the moment a connection with the vaccination is not proven.
The analysis of less serious cases, such as possible rare symptoms useful in particular for the interface and possible conflicts of the vaccine with other medicines that vaccinated people especially the elderly are using, contribute to increasing the general safety of the vaccination programs.
A second benefit that should not be disregarded concerns communication. The case for vaccinating does not require justification, given the tremendous difference between the direct COVID risks and the possible vaccination risks, but the knowledge of the availability of a simple website where problems of unexpected or strange symptoms associated to the vaccination experience are reported bottom to top by vaccinated people and duly checked and analyzed is necessary and urgent, because it will increase the confidence of the population neutralizing as far as possible the fake news about this matter. Last but not least, it will stimulate new research and avoid late understanding of problems, as occurred in the Ranitidine case.
In order to reach this result, a risk must be avoided that against the previously mentioned motivation it may become itself a source and amplifier of fake news. What we are proposing is not a new social site to interchange opinions without a scientific basis, but a site where cases are submitted for analysis by competent specialists.
Galileo Violini co-authored this article.
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