Covid-19: Do Reports of Side-Effects Increase Vaccine Hesitancy?

As the process of vaccination has started in the United States of America, reports of allergies and side-effects have also started pouring in.

After the drug regulator, the Food and Drugs Administration of the US gave approval to the first vaccine, developed by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, the mass vaccination process has started.

Soon after that it also approved another vaccine developed by Moderna but this vaccine is in the process of delivery to various states and cities in the country.

Though the regulator has made it clear that both the vaccine are completely safe, reports of their side-effects have started emerging from various cities.

Pursuant to those reports, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued instructions to the common people.

It has cautioned those people who have developed side-effects and allergies and said that such persons should not take the second dose of the vaccine.

Both the vaccines need two doses to be given to get protection from Covid-19.

Experts say that reports of vaccine allergies and side-effects are going to discourage a lot of people in India and elsewhere which is not a good development.

“No government can make it mandatory for everyone to take the vaccine. It is voluntary. So, people have to come forward on their own to get this vaccine,” a senior epidemiologist from a government hospital said.

He added, “If more and more people will not come forward, then the whole purpose of mass vaccination programme may not be as successful as it is desired.”

Other experts also agree that these reports will make people more and more hesitant to accept that the vaccines are safe and it will protest them from Covid-19.