News Analysis India

Tag: vaccine hesitancy

  • Watch out for vaccine hesitancy, say experts

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  A day after India reached a significant milestone of administering 1 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses, public health experts pointed out that the road ahead may be tough as the challenges include raising two dose coverage, tackling vaccine hesitancy and reaching remote areas.

    As per government data, a little over 75% of the adult population in the country has received at least one dose of the vaccine while the percentage covered with both doses is just about 31%. Further breaking this data, health economist Rijo M John pointed out that India still has about 7 crore people above 45 who are yet to get their first dose while 19 crore who are above 45 years of age are yet to get their second dose.

    Also, more than 3 crore people who are above 60 years of age have not received a single dose and 7.5 crore are yet to get their second dose, he said. Public health expert Anant Bhan said that the country should now focus on ensuring that the two dose coverage continues to rise, and that pockets where vaccination efforts might not have yet reached adequately are reached out, including continuing to address concerns about the vaccine and vaccination efforts.

    “We must also keep track of global scientific buzz around the need for boosters, especially for subgroups,” he said. Virologist Shahid Jameel, fellow, Oxford University’s Green Templeton College said the emphasis should be on extending full vaccination coverage. 

  • Covid vaccine hesitancy in India at lowest level, only 7% adults now apprehensive of jabs: Survey

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Only 7 per cent Indian adults are currently hesitant to getting inoculated against COVID-19, the lowest vaccine hesitancy level in the country so far, according to a new survey.

    The study conducted by the online community platform LocalCircles received 12,810 responses from citizens — 67 per cent men and 33 per cent women — across 301 districts.

    It sought to understand from unvaccinated citizens their reasons for not taking the jab and their plan on getting inoculated.

    As much as 42 per cent respondents were from tier 1, 27 per cent from tier-2 and 31 per cent from tier 3, 4 and rural districts.

    India has an adult population of 94 crore, and approximately 68 crore have already taken at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

    The responses suggest that overall 46 per cent of the unvaccinated citizens plan to take their first dose soon, said Sachin Taparia, the founder of LocalCircles said.

    There were, however, 27% of citizens who do not plan to take the vaccine yet as they are not convinced whether the currently available ones provide enough protection from the current and future variants of coronavirus, he said.

    These 27% are what can be classified as hesitant population, he said.

    They may take the vaccine if more data become available or if different vaccines become available, he said.

    “If the entire adult population of India is taken into consideration, the survey shows that only 7 per cent of them are currently hesitant.

    If these percentages are applied to the unvaccinated population of 26 crore adults, it amounts to 7 crore citizens still hesitant to take the vaccine,” Taparia said.

    Safety concerns, quick clinical trials, rushed vaccine approvals, side-effects were among apprehensions expressed by some citizens for their hesitancy, according to the survey report.

    Some respondents with a medical condition also cited concerns of potential blood-clotting.

    Some also cited COVID going away as the reason for them to not get vaccinated, the survey found.

    According to the feedback received, there are also certain other myths and misinformation holding people from taking the vaccine.

    When the vaccination drive began in India in January, the vaccine hesitancy stood at 60% which drastically reduced during the brutal second Covid wave that hit India in April-May.

  • Gujarat: Eight arrested for spreading COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy

    By PTI
    VADODARA: Eight persons, including two women, were arrested on Sunday for allegedly spreading anti-COVID 19 vaccination messages among public in Vadodara in Gujarat, police said.

    A group of eight people, including six men, gathered near a bus stand with ‘Awaken Gujarat Movement’ and ‘Awaken Barodians’ banners to spread the message against COVID-19 vaccination, an official of the city’s Sayajigunj police station said.

    He said a patrolling team of police personnel learnt about this gathering and reached the spot.

    “At a time when the government is organising massive campaigns for COVID-19 vaccination, these people were found spreading anti-vaccine messages without wearing face masks and violating social distancing,” he said.

    They were booked under sections 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy, 143 (unlawful assembly), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), and 270 (act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Indian Penal Code and the Disaster management Act, he said.

    In his monthly ‘Mann ki Baat’ broadcast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged people to shed vaccine hesitancy and to not believe in rumours.

  • Shed vaccine hesitancy, do not believe in rumours: PM Modi to people

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Cautioning people that the threat of COVID-19 remains, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged them to shed vaccine hesitancy and get themselves inoculated soon.

    In his monthly Mann ki Baat broadcast, Modi hailed the feat of most vaccination doses administered in a single day on June 21 at the start of the new phase of inoculation under which all adults are being given free jabs.

    Seeking to make people shed vaccine hesitancy, Modi spoke to residents of Dulariya village in Betul district of Madhya Pradesh and counselled them to take the vaccine amidst their doubts about the exercise.

    He noted that both he and his nearly 100-year-old mother have taken both doses of the vaccine, and asked people not to believe in rumours and trust science and scientists.

    “The threat of COVID-19 remains and we have to focus on vaccination as well as follow COVID-19 protocols,” he said.

    With the Monsoon approaching, Modi also stressed on water conservation.

    In his broadcast, he also paid tributes and remembered the contribution of Indian sprint legend Milkha Singh, who died earlier this month.

    Modi hailed Singh’s contribution to Indian sports and said he will always cherish his interactions with the athlete.

    Singh died in a Chandigarh hospital after a month-long battle with COVID-19.

    He also lost his wife Nirmal Kaur, a former national volleyball captain, to the same disease.

    Modi also shared the struggles and triumphs of Olympics-bound Indian athletes and said that people must not build any pressure on these sports persons but “cheer for India”.

    “Every athlete who is going to Tokyo has worked hard.

    They are going there to win hearts.

    It must be our endeavour to support our team and not put pressure on the team,” he said.

  • Sonia Gandhi asks partymen to work to address vaccine hesitancy

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday expressed concern over the pace of vaccination in India, and said the country needs to prepare for the third wave of COVID-19 and protect children.

    Addressing a meeting of party general secretaries and in-charges of AICC in various states, she the party must ensure that vaccine hesitancy is overcome and wastage of vaccines minimised.

    She also called upon the partymen to continue to put pressure on the union government to ensure that the daily rate of vaccination trebles so that 75% of the population gets fully vaccinated by end of this year.

    “No doubt, this is dependent entirely on the adequacy of vaccine supply.

    We must continue to put pressure on the Union government which has, at our party’s insistence, finally taken on the responsibility for this,” Gandhi said.

    “At the same time, we have to ensure that registration takes place, that vaccine hesitancy wherever evident is overcome and vaccine wastage is minimised,” she said addressing the party leaders virtually.

  • Gujarat HC notice to IAF on plea of its employee unwilling to take COVID-19 vaccine

    By PTI
    AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat High Court has issued a notice to the Indian Air Force on a petition filed by one of its personnel posted in Jamnagar, challenging the show cause notice issued to him for termination of service after he expressed his unwillingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

    In an order passed on Tuesday, a division bench of Justices A J Desai and A P Thaker issued the notice to the IAF and central government and also directed the IAF not to take any coercive action against the petitioner till July 1.

    Petitioner Yogender Kumar, an IAF corporal, had moved the HC seeking a direction to quash the show cause notice dated May 10, 2021, in which the IAF stated that his stand against vaccination “verges to gross indiscipline”, and his continuation in the service is likely to adversely impact the health of other “air warriors and AF civilians”.

    “The IAF is of the opinion that your continuation in the disciplined force like Indian Air Force is undesirable and you need to be separated from the service,” the petitioner said quoting the notice issued to him.

    The plea said the decision of respondent no.1 (IAF) to dismiss the petitioner for refusing to take vaccine is not only contrary to the guidelines of the Union of India, but also violative of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India.

    “The termination from job due to unwillingness to take COVID-19 vaccine is completely illegal, unconstitutional and arbitrary on part of respondent no.1,” Kumar said in his plea while seeking the court’s direction to quash the notice and direct the IAF not to force him to get vaccinated.

    The petitioner on February 26, 2021 wrote to the Commanding Officer of their squadron, expressing his unwillingness to take vaccination against COVID-19.

    While refusing to get vaccinated, the petitioner in his application had told the IAF that he was using ayurvedic medicines to increase his immunity against COVID-19.

    He had also told that he uses allopathic medicines only in emergency, or when a solution is not possible in the Ayurveda.

    “I have some hesitation and my inner consciousness does not allow me to get vaccinated,” he had stated in his application, as quoted in the plea moved before the HC.

    Kumar had said that he may be excused from vaccination against COVID-19.

    “The petitioner has the right to receive treatment of his choice and vaccination cannot be forced upon him. As per the central government, the vaccine is voluntary and not mandatory for individuals in the country,” he said in his plea.

    Kumar also said he was unwilling to get vaccinated as it is not fully approved by the administration and has been given emergency use authorisation, hence it should not be considered the only option for prevention against COVID-19.

    He also cited newspaper reports related to deaths and adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccines.

    The petitioner also cited a Supreme Court judgment of 2018 to buttress his claim and said “he has the right to receive treatment of his choice and vaccination cannot be forced upon him.”

    Kumar in his plea said he is taking ayurvedic medicines and products suggested by the AYUSH ministry, and is also strictly following the guidelines of wearing mask, avoiding crowded places, using sanitiser and washing hands at regular intervals.

    He does yoga and takes sufficient amount of vitamin C through fruits and vegetables, the petitioner said, adding that while these measures do not give 100 per cent protection from the infection, they have worked in his case so far.

  • Minority affairs ministry to run Covid vaccine awareness campaign to bust rumours: Union Minister Naqvi

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The minority affairs ministry will run a campaign from June 21 for creating awareness about vaccination against Covid in rural areas and to dispel apprehensions being spread by “some vested interests” over the inoculation drive in the country, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Saturday.

    As part of the “Jaan Hai To Jahaan Hai” programme, the minority affairs minister said the ministry along with various socio-educational organisations, NGOs and women self-help groups, will launch the awareness campaign on June 21.

    The nationwide awareness campaign will be launched from minority dominated Rampur district of Uttar Pradesh, he said in a statement.

    The campaign will be launched to create awareness on coronavirus vaccination in rural and remote areas of the country and also to “crush and curb the rumours and apprehensions, being spread by some vested interests” regarding the on-going inoculation drive, Naqvi said.

    He said various religious leaders, prominent people from social, educational, cultural, medical, science and other fields will send out effective messages to the people to get vaccinated.

    Street plays will also be organised across the country as part of the campaign, he said.

    Naqvi said here that some vested interests are trying to spread rumours and apprehensions regarding vaccination and asserted that such elements are “enemies of the health and well-being” of the people.

    “Two made-in-India coronavirus vaccines are the result of the hardwork of our scientists and it has been proved scientifically that these vaccines are absolutely safe and are an effective weapon in the fight against coronavirus,” the minister said.

    Naqvi said that state Haj Committees, Waqf boards, their associated organisations, Central Waqf Council, Maulana Azad Education Foundation, various social and educational institutions, NGOs, women self-help groups, working under ‘Nai Roshni’ scheme of the Minority Affairs Ministry, will be part of the awareness campaign.

    Religious leaders and prominent people from various fields including Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid; Imam of Fatehpuri Masjid Mufti Mukarram Ahmad; Jain Guru Acharya Lokesh Muni and Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee president Manjinder Singh Sirsa will part of the campaign.

    The Ajmer Sharif Dargah ‘Sajjadanashin’ Syed Zainul Abedin; Dargah Ajmer Sharif Chairman Syed Moin Hussain; Aligarh Muslim University Vice-Chancellor Tariq Mansoor; various Christian and Buddhist religious leaders; personalities from film, television, among others will also participate in the campaign.

    Naqvi said the Modi government is running the world’s largest Covid vaccination drive under which crores of people have been vaccinated so far in the country.

    The minister said India is far ahead of nations with better resources and facilities in terms of vaccination against coronavirus.

    The government and the society have worked unitedly to defeat coronavirus and the country is coming out of the crisis, he said.

  • Only 5% of India fully vaccinated against Covid after 5 months of vaccination drive

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Over 5 months after the Covid vaccination drive was launched in the country, just about 5% of the adult population in India is now fully vaccinated, the government figures show. 

    As per details shared by the Union Health Ministry in a press briefing on Friday, 5.03 crore people in India, with an adult population of 94 crores, have received two doses of Covid vaccines. 

    The total vaccinations in India, on the other hand, have now reached 27.07 crore which means over one-fourth of the adult population in India has received at least one dose of coronavirus vaccine.

    Globally, nearly 80 countries are ahead of India in terms of fully vaccinated population.  

    For the past one week, the average daily vaccination in the country has been about 30.57 lakh, woefully short of 40 lakh daily vaccinations targeted by the Centre for this month. The highest daily vaccination for this month was 38.20 lakh on June 14, but even this could not match the highest daily vaccination of over 40 lakh in April’s first week. 

    ALSO READ | Covid vaccination lowers chances of hospitalisation by 75-80 per cent, says Govt

    Even more worryingly, the daily vaccinations have been on a downward curve since June 14, a day when maximum Covid vaccine doses were administered this month and this is not an ideal situation, warn experts. 

    A member of the national Covid task force who did not wish to be identified said that in order to achieve the target of vaccinating all individuals by the year’s end, the country should be vaccinating at least 70-75 lakh individuals every day, if not more. 

    “But we are far short of this target largely due to low vaccine availability,” he said. 

    While insisting that about 50% more Covid vaccines are available in June, as compared to last month, the Centre however had asked states to “substantially accelerate the pace of vaccinations”. 

    It had said that 10 crore and 90 lakh doses of Covishield and Covaxin will be available respectively in June apart from nearly 1 crore doses of Sputnik V. 

    The average daily Covid vaccinations in May had come down by a whopping 40% as compared to April, even though inoculations opened for all adult population in India from the beginning of last month.

    As of now, India is using three vaccines against Covid19, Covaxin, Covishield, and the Russian vaccine Sputnik V, available in limited quantities at few private hospitals while its efforts to procure other vaccines from abroad are yet to yield any results so far.

  • Muslim community marred by vaccine hesitancy: Uttarakhand ex CM Trivendra Singh Rawat

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: Former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Trivendra Singh Rawat on Monday said that the Muslim community is marred by vaccine hesitancy.

    He was in Rishikesh for an event speaking to the media. 

    “I am saying this without hesitation and in open. The Muslim community is marred by (Covid 19) vaccine hesitancy. They sill have hesitancy, illusions and fears. In such a situation, social organizations and media should cover this that there is no harm in vaccination,” said Rawat. 

    He further added, “If you do not get vaccinated, then this disease (coronavirus) will stay and anyone can get affected by it and become a ‘superspreader’. Urge through the media that people should come forward and get vaccinated.”

    The ousted CM further added that he has seen many doctors with vaccine hesitancy too.

    “I said this in open because this issue plagued other communities too including the medical fraternity. I know many doctors who were very hesitant and took the jab later only. I know of many such doctors and medical staff. They must also get rid of this illusion that is why I said so,” added Rawat. 

    Rawat was removed from the CM post in March this year, days before the BJP government in Uttarakhand was due completing four years of tenure. 

    Earlier last month the ex-CM ade headlines after he referred to Covid 19 virus as a ‘Being’ which is just trying to live and has a right to live. 

     

  • Free rice in return for Covid jabs help dispel vaccine hesitancy in Arunachal Pradesh village

    By PTI
    ITANAGAR: Free rice in return for a COVID-19 jab, and as much as 20 kg.

    The prospect turned out to be lucrative enough to dispel rumours around vaccination among villagers of an administrative circle in Arunachal Pradesh, as over 80 of them turned up on foot for the inoculation within days of the announcement of the sop.

    The brainchild of Circle Officer Tashi Wangchuk Thongdok of Yazali in Lower Subansiri district, the offer of free rice for those getting vaccinated in the 45-plus age group was launched on Monday and is valid till Wednesday.

    “We are constantly trying to work out strategies to improve vaccination coverage in the circle and in the district.

    “Till today noon, 80 people have come to receive the jabs. Our aim is to achieve 100 per cent inoculation in the circle by June 20,” Thongdok, a 2016-batch APCS officer, said.

    There are 1,399 people above the age of 45 in the Yazali Circle, officials said.

    Many of those who came to get themselves vaccinated came on foot from far-flung villages, braving inclement weather, Thongdok said.

    He said the administration is chalking out a roadmap for taking the vaccination drive to every village of the circle.

    “We are planning door-to-door visits on Friday and Saturday to administer vaccines to people above 45 years of age. Our offer will continue but the quantity of rice will be 10 kg instead of 20 kg,” Thongdok said.

    Two former students of Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya have donated the rice for distribution among the beneficiaries, he added.

    Rumours surrounding the COVID-19 immunisation, including severe ailments post inoculation and the possibility of microscopic tracking devices being injected through the serum, have turned many sceptical in the northeast, the officials said.

    State Immunisation Officer Dimong Padung said a total of 3,95,445 people have been vaccinated so far in the state.