What has been learned about COVID‐19 vaccine hesitancy in Pakistan: Insights from a narrative review

Abstract

Background Vaccine hesitancy is not a new phenomenon to Pakistan. This is evidenced through the slow progress of previous vaccination campaigns and programs against MMR, BCG, and especially polio. This issue continues to persist and is therefore becoming the cause of low COVID‐19 vaccination rates in Pakistan. Aim To provide insights about COVID‐19 vaccine hesitancy among Pakistanis, and its potential harm on public health. Moreover, we aim provide recommendations to counter the factors limiting the COVID‐19 vaccination in Pakistan. Methodology A Boolean search was conducted to find the literature in MEDLINE‐PubMed, Google Scholar, and Clinicaltrials.gov databases up till March 16, 2022. Specific keywords were used which comprised of “SARS‐CoV‐2,” “COVID‐19,” “vaccine hesitancy,” “vaccine acceptance,” “intention to vaccinate,” and “Pakistan,” with use of “OR” and “AND.” Only free full‐text original studies in English language were used to compare and contrast. Results As proven by various studies, COVID‐19 vaccination rates are influenced by multiple factors, including inaccurate beliefs about COVID‐19, hesitancy amongst healthcare workers, uncertainty regarding vaccine's efficacy and fear of side effects. Various conspiracy theories and lower testing rates among others also add up to impose a negative impact on the vaccination rates and public health of Pakistan. This may lead to newer strains of potentially harmful COVID‐19, mental health deterioration, and prolonged lockdowns. Conclusion Vaccine hesitancy is a global public health threat, and its impacts are pronounced in Pakistan. This is reflected in the COVID‐19 pandemic; low vaccination rates in Pakistan may lead to future outbreaks of new, potentially harmful, strains of COVID‐19 which can prolong lockdowns in the country and affect mental health of the population. To improve the current situations, it is imperative for the government, educational institutes, and healthcare systems to develop trust and continually use dialogue, communication, and education to address misconceptions to improve COVID‐19 vaccination in Pakistan.

Assessing the Impact of Risk Factors on Vaccination Uptake Policy Decisions Using a Bayesian Network (BN) Approach

“…Like other countries, vaccine hesitancy and low uptake are not new phenomena in Pakistan [49]. Vaccination campaigns and programs in the past have made slow progress, which is evidence of this: BCG (Bacillus Calmette Guerin) vaccination coverage was reported at 80%, polio vaccination coverage was 60%, and measles vaccination coverage was 67% [50].…”

COVID-19 Vaccination Status as Well as Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Hesitancy among Prisoners and the Implications

“…Vaccine hesitancy is due to many factors. These include concerns with the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, lack of trust in healthcare services during the pandemic, and lack of trust in health authorities as well as disbelieving the reality of COVID-19 [ 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 ]. Whilst various studies from Pakistan have shown vaccine hesitancy in the general population [ 59 , 60 , 61 ], HCWs [ 62 , 63 ], pregnant women [ 64 ], and hospitalized COVID-19 patients [ 65 ], as well as (surprisingly) among patients undergoing hemodialysis [ 25 ], we are currently unaware of any study that has been undertaken among prisoners in Pakistan regarding their COVID-19 vaccine status.…”