Government frames strategy to build public confidence in vaccines

New Delhi: The government has framed a detailed communication strategy to address vaccine hesitancy, misinformation about side effects, vaccine eagerness and any resultant law and order situation after a Covid vaccine candidate is approved in India.

The government would identify traditionally-known vaccine hesitant and resistant areas, ethnic groups and communities based on prior experience of running immunisation programmes like polio. The Centre would then rope in religious leaders and ASHA workers to educate the people about vaccine. A senior health ministry official told ET, “Our preliminary exercise with the states while collecting data on health care workers has shown that people are doubting the efficacy of Covid vaccine as it has been developed in a short time. The challenge with traditionally vaccine hesitant groups would be further amplified as in remote rural areas and tribal groups they have always resisted vaccination.” The state governments have been asked to run awareness workshops for religious and community leaders and social mobilisers at the district and block levels to dispel any doubts about vaccine. The leaders would be asked to coordinate with block level health officers to flag any possible incidents of unrest due to rumours and misinformation about the vaccine.

Speaking to ET, Chhattisgarh health minister T S Singhdeo said, “There is vaccine hesitancy, especially in our rural areas and tribal-dominated districts. We cannot force anyone to take a vaccine but we are trying to tackle misinformation and hesitancy. I have told my department, if need be, include my name in the list. I can take the first vaccine to prove that it is safe.”

The strategy has also identified vaccine eagerness as another challenge area. The government has identified the under 50 years age group as the target audience which would fall in the “vaccine eager” strata but would get vaccinated in the second phase. The awareness campaign for this group would revolve around “wait for your turn”. The state governments have been asked to run campaigns to ensure that people understand the logic behind choosing priority groups like healthcare workers and the elderly. “It is expected that once the vaccine is available there will be a huge demand to access it, which may lead to unrest,” the strategy document says adding that the people should be explained that they would need to wait their turn. The government would also educate the family of the beneficiary in priority groups that only the identified person would be administered the vaccine and nobody else in their place can take it.

One of the major challenges before the government is adverse event following immunisation (AEFI). The Centre has set down specific plan to address such a scenario. A National Media Rapid Response Cell at health ministry has been set up with experienced media officers to address all information on vaccine rollout.