Bark Worse Than Bite: Fears Around the COVID Vaccine(Summary)

While 2020 heralded in the COVID pandemic that would go on to ravage the globe, 2021 brought in hope for a vaccine, an end to this virus that had brought giants of modern society to its knees. While we were learning how to register our loved ones on various portals to ensure earliest access to the vaccines that had finally reached India’s hallowed shores, a significant portion of our population was unaware that they were now even eligible for a vaccine that could help protect them against one of the greater health crises we had witnessed. Along with the lack of awareness about the vaccination drive and the process, the community members showed hesitance about the vaccine and were skeptical about getting vaccinated. The current study aims to understand the attitude, perception, misconception, fear, and widespread myths the community members have about the vaccine. Through this their willingness to take the vaccine was explored along with the awareness they have about covid and it’s vaccine. A primary survey was conducted with 1500 members across the following 9 states : Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal.