In the biblical community of Staphorst, the taboo on vaccination is still great. “I have patients who are willing to have a shot, but are terrified of community judgment, so I’m going to visit their homes soon to secretly give them the vaccine,” Reza Pezeshki Nia told the newspaper last weekend. The message has been taken up by many media and Pezeshki gets a lot of questions about it. Unjustly, he says.
‘Quote is incorrect’
According to Reza Pezeshki Nia, that quote is incorrect. “I have said that I want to vaccinate anonymously if people do not want their personal data to be disclosed to the government. Because the journalist made it ‘secret’, new unrest has now arisen and I regret that.”
The family doctor from Rouveen wants to explain it again. Pezeshki says that he hears arguments every day that indicate that a number of residents of Staphorst no longer trust the government.
Many people do want a vaccine, he says, but they don’t want that to become known. “They don’t want the community to know about it or they don’t want government agencies to know who has and who hasn’t had a vaccine.”
‘Is anonymous vaccination a possibility?’
Reza Pezeshki Nia has asked the GGD IJsselland if he can vaccinate without recording the details of the vaccinated person. “I would like to follow the law, so I need to know whether anonymous vaccination is a possibility. If that is not allowed, then it will stop. But if the GGD allows anonymous vaccination, I could help a lot of people in this municipality. ”
“Everyone can come”
Pezeshki Nia has now agreed with the GGD that an extra vaccination round will be organized next Tuesday. The GP was able to make it clear to the GGD IJsselland that a lot can be gained from anonymous injections. “You are welcome without an appointment and without the personal data being noted. Anyone who wants to can come.” The extra vaccination round has been inserted at the request of the general practitioner and will be held on November 2 between 11 am and 5 pm in the Reformed Service Building in Rouveen.
In addition, there is another small group in Staphorst and Rouveen, who are so suspicious that vaccination is really not an option for them. “Those people have fear and I cannot convince them of the necessity, even if anonymous vaccination were possible.” The general practitioner from Rouveen makes an appeal to the government of The Hague in particular for this group of people.
“Government, do something about it!”
Pezeshki Nia wants to advise the government to get in touch with residents. According to him, it is the government’s task to enter into a dialogue in order to regain trust. “Invest in good communication. Ask yourself why people don’t trust you. Even when it comes to a small group, it is important to keep an eye out for each other. So government, do something about this.” The GP is surprised that a bell has not started ringing in The Hague earlier.
Meanwhile, Reza Pezeshki Nia is tied hand and foot in the church village. “Secretly, I don’t do that because I also have to follow the law. But if I could administer the vaccines anonymously, many residents would be helped, but the whole community would also be safer.”
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