Vaccine hesitancy

 In the next two years till 2023, the world economy is predicted to suffer loss to the tune of nine trillion dollars due to the coronavirus pandemic. So far the virus has caused over 21 lakh deaths across the world. The virus has infected nearly ten crore people out of the seven billion people on earth. The only way out of this crisis is to stop the spread of the virus through herd immunity when 60 percent of the seven billion people achieve it. The only way to such a colossal number is protected is through immunisation by vaccines. So far 5,72,87,507 people have received the vaccination in various countries. However, many people are hesitant or reluctant to get immunised through vaccines. Despite being recognized as one of the most successful public health measures, vaccination is perceived as unsafe and unnecessary by a growing number of individuals. Lack of confidence in Covid vaccines is now considered a threat to the success of herd immunity programs. Vaccine hesitancy is believed to be responsible for decreasing vaccine coverage and an increasing risk of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks and epidemics. The possible causes of the apparent increase in vaccine hesitancy in the developed world is understandable. This is mainly because the anti-covid vaccine has been manufactured just within a year whereas, normally vaccines take some ten to fifteen years to develop. In India, it is expected that about one crore healthcare workers will be vaccinated first and subsequently the remaining targeted segments. In phase 1 of the inoculation drive, set to be completed by July, one crore health workers followed by 2 crore frontline workers will get the vaccine. In the next one, besides those aged above 50, Prime Minister Modi and all Union and state ministers and lawmakers are likely to get jabbed. There is no option but to get vaccination in order to stop the virus. However, vaccine hesitancy needs to be addressed so that the sooner people are vaccinated, the better. The vaccine hesitant are people who have reservations about being vaccinated, but are still open to being assured that the treatments are safe and reliable. In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) named vaccine hesitancy one of the top ten threats to global health. This was during a time when global uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) vaccine had slipped down to 85%, well below the required 95% to prevent community transmission, leading to several global outbreaks of measles. While arguments against vaccination largely go against current scientific evidence surrounding their safety and efficacy, yet fears persist. Recently, some people from a prayer group in Nagaland had prophesied that the vaccine is evil and from the Devil and those who get vaccinated will lose their salvation and go to hell. In response, the apex church body-Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) and its affiliate, the Chakhesang Baptist Church Council (CBCC)- slammed the ‘prophetic message’ as totally unbiblical. Such fears are not based on facts but ignorance and it is for the people to choose which to believe or disbelieve. Amidst the global pandemic, vaccine hesitancy should be properly addressed so as to enlighten people or else it could have serious impact on efforts to stop the virus.