By now we have all heard of the Covid-19 vaccines. The Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine is not the only one that has become available to the public. In fact, most governments have started to purchase and distribute millions of doses of several different vaccines. For most of us this is great news, as the wide-spread distribution of the Covid-19 vaccines will allow us to return to normal life. We all want to stop wearing masks, be able to go out with friends again, and finally live life again. Most of us know that this can only be achieved with an effective vaccine. However, there are millions of people out there who would refuse a vaccine. This leads us to wonder: Why would people reject the one thing that could lead to a return to normalcy? How many people share this viewpoint in different countries? Will there be consequences for those who will refuse the vaccine? I will answer all these questions and more in the following article.
First of all, it’s important to explain the concept of herd immunity. Herd immunity occurs when a high percentage of a population is immune to an infectious disease, which provides indirect protection (or herd immunity) to those who are not immune to the disease. Herd immunity against Covid-19 should be achieved by protecting people through vaccination. The proportion of the population that must be vaccinated against the corona virus to begin inducing herd immunity is still unknown. Therefore, herd immunity must be achieved in order to return to normal life. However, this will be impossible if enough people refuse the vaccine. Then the population will be divided, there will be those who are immune, and those who are still at risk from catching the virus. Thus, it is possible that life will not return fully to normalcy, at least not for a while.
This leads to the first big question: ‘Why might people reject the covid-19 vaccine?’. Interestingly, many more people don’t want a vaccine for the Coronavirus than there are Anti-vaxxers. Anti-vaxxers are those people who are opposed to any vaccines, not one specifically. They usually choose not to vaccinate themselves or their children for reasons such as mistrust in science, fear of potential side-effects and the belief that the vaccine is simply ineffective. These reasons are largely based on misconceptions and false information.
Luckily, there are relatively few anti-vaxxers, as they represent only a very small proportion of the population, so there must be other reasons for the refusal of the Covid vaccine. Studies have shown that many people simply want to wait to see if the vaccine is safe. Meanwhile, others don’t trust the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine specifically. This may be because of mistrust towards pharmaceutical companies or because of how quickly the vaccine was approved. Furthermore, many young people are opposed to the vaccine because they consider themselves low-risk and so don’t think that they need it. Others are afraid of the Covid-19 vaccines specifically, because they use the 'messenger RNA' technique, which many people still consider experimental. This fear is only a myth, as the RNA technique is not new. In fact, extensive research has already been conducted with this technique and its use is being normalized in other medical treatments such as those against cancer. Lastly, a major reason for why people don’t want the vaccine is the spreading of misinformation. This largely occurs online but can also happen amongst neighborhoods and at gatherings. This causes many people to, once again, develop a fear of the vaccine, thinking the government is conspiring against them or that the side-effects will be disastrous. One effective way to combat this would be to promote the practice of comparing sources and educating oneself before jumping to conclusions.
The map below illustrates how many people are against the Covid-19 vaccine and which countries have high or low percentages. A study in the UK has shown that 67% of the population are likely to accept the vaccine, 21% are unlikely to take it and 12% are unsure. Similar surveys have concluded that more than 25% of people in the USA and 23% in Germany say they definitely or probably will not get vaccinated against Covid-19. Hesitancy was lower in Italy with 12% of people likely not to accept the vaccine, 14% in the UK and 17% in the Netherlands. Interestingly, France is the most skeptical country in the EU, as less than 50% of people think that vaccines in general are safe.
These are all rather concerning figures, since the remaining proportions of the populations will probably not be enough to endure herd immunity. Hopefully more people will be willing to accept the vaccine through educational schemes, although it is more likely that they will be won over because of the pressure from society and the consequences they may face.
Image from Nature
This leads to the last major point, the question: ‘Will there be consequences for those who will refuse the vaccine?’. The answer to this question will vary drastically from country to country, but some common trends could be identified. Some have speculated that vaccine refusers could be banned from flying, as well as entering restaurants, shops, and other venues. In addition, employers might demand to see a verification to ensure that the potential employee has been vaccinated against Covid-19. A British minister, who is responsible for the rollout of vaccines against the coronavirus, confirmed that the government was looking at providing people who get the vaccine with an "immunity passport" to show they have received it. Spain has also taken measures to identify the people who will reject the vaccination. In fact, the health minister of Spain has stated that a register of people who refuse to be vaccinated against coronavirus will be shared with other European Union nations. This list will reportedly not be made available to the public or to employers.
In conclusion, we don’t really know what the future will hold. The best we can do at this point is ensure our safety and the safety of others by following Covid-19 guidelines. Hopefully in the coming months we can expect a return to normalcy, but until then, we must remain positive and hopeful.
Sources:
Link of the image: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-01937-6
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