WITH the world’s biggest immunisation off the blocks in a spectacular fashion with the first shots of two COVID vaccines to the healthcare and frontline workers across India, the focus now shifts to the monitoring and precautionary measures to ascertain efficacy of the shots. Apprehensions over the first dose of vaccine and the fear of adverse events have already started gathering pace among the populace. Two deaths in separate parts of the country, too, were attributed to the coronavirus vaccine adding to the element of confusion. This is one area that needs immediate and strict handling before the inoculation programme is taken to the general public in the near future. The Government has come out with figures of adverse events to allay the fears expressed by a section of the society. Government data has revealed that only 0.18 per cent was the Adverse Event Following Immunisation (AEFI) and 0.002 was the percentage of people who were hospitalised following the first jab.

 

The figures, as the Health Ministry claims, are the lowest in the world in the first three days. It is a welcome development that must be taken across the country with an awareness campaign for the vaccine. It has already been mentioned that the vaccination is voluntary but advisable. Doing it in a manner that inspires confidence is now the most important task for the healthcare machinery in all States and Union Territories. Concerns about adverse effects and life-threatening problems post immunisation, prima facie, seem to be unfounded. The adverse reactions have been negligible and insignificant. Arrangements are already in place to monitor harmful reactions. Senior health officials including the AIIMS Director Dr. Randeep Guleria have led from the front by taking the first shot along with other health workers.

 

Yet, a certain section has been on an overdrive to create confusion and fear among the citizens. It was sad that people in the medical fraternity also fell to the false propaganda when some doctors, nurses and healthcare workers refused to get vaccinated. The last battle against the coronavirus cannot be fought with a disjointed force. The onus is totally on the Government machinery now to deal with the nuisance makers who are out to scuttle the most important immunisation drive the world has ever witnessed.

 

Comparative analysis of the first week figures of first day vaccinations from across the world has put India at the top with 2,07,229 people getting the first shot of either Covaxin or Covishield. Given the population expanse of the country the number was supposed to be in the higher bracket but the significant point here is the precise preparation and manpower put in place to achieve the number. The two dry runs and vast experience of conducting mass inoculation seems to have paid rich dividends. Next challenge, after the two doses are injected and efficacy of the vaccines determined, will be speeding up the process in a similar fashion by identifying the second target group. Eligibility conditions have already been laid down by the Union Health Ministry in prioritising the recipients for the second and third phases of vaccination. However, the bigger challenge, than marking the recipients, is dealing with the initial hesitancy and confusion over the vaccine.

 

Many centres witnessed large-scale absenteeism even after registering for the vaccine by healthcare workers. Anxiety and fear of side-effects were the prime reasons cited by many for skipping the first dose. This problem is bound to escalate in the next phase because of the fake narrative being created around the inoculation programme through social media links. Strong cyber security measures are most needed to counter the narrative along with launching of a full-fledged public awareness programme with the help of digital platforms as they are the most penetrating forms of information sharing. A media drive containing positive accounts of the vaccine benefactors will help a long way in alleviating unfounded fears.