The Perils of Vaccine Hesitancy Based on Conspiracy Theories and Misinformation: Implications and Way Forward for Pakistan

Abstract

BACKGROUND:Around the world, COVID-19 pandemic has exposed vulnerabilities of healthcare systems and whipped out years of progress on poverty alleviation. Nevertheless, the development of multiple COVID-19 vaccines in such a short span of time is truly a triumph of science. World Health Organization (WHO) grades vaccination as "one of the most cost-effective public health interventions to date" [1] . Vaccines work in two distinct ways i.e., directly protecting the one who receives and indirectly, as the vaccinated people could not infect others subsequently. In this way a vaccine reduces the number of hospital admissions and deaths. How swiftly would this combined effect appear at a population level is determined by the duration and the scale of vaccination efforts. To achieve a population level effect of COVID-19 vaccine in a country; different approaches to vaccinate masses are under huge discussion to decide the priority population i.e., who will receive the jab first. From a youth first approach as in Indonesia to textured approaches, as in Pakistan, that prioritize the vulnerable or exposed populations i.e., elderly and healthcare professionals respectively [2] .

The conundrum of new coronavirus variants and poor uptake of booster dose: building a narrative against vaccine hesitancy in Pakistan

“…Persuading the vaccine hesitant population to accept vaccines has always been a daunting challenge in Pakistan. We observed this hesitancy for initial doses of COVID-19 vaccine, however, after the advent of new corona virus variants and decreasing efficacy of initial vaccine doses over time enkindled the real dilemma and highlighted the need of booster doses [8,9] . Consequently, countries hankered to inoculate people with booster doses, but faced significant hesitancy for the booster doses [10] .…”

“…A few prominent reasons include flood of conspiracy theories on social media, poor health literacy, nonscientific mindset, wishful beliefs, mistrust on local and international health care agencies, and personal or group beliefs mainly triggered by religious indoctrination. Besides, lack of a counter narrative based campaign by the concerned authorities to falsify the factual inaccuracies and false beliefs constitutes the real reasons for wide spread vaccine hesitancy in Pakistani society [9,12] . In Pakistan, generally society is more inclined to religious sermons and political rhetoric than scientific inquiry and facts.…”

“…Many conspiracy theories emerged in the orthodox society, spread like wild fire through social media during the pandemic, and badly affected the vaccine uptake. These conspiracy theories and their fast spread through social media were the large part of the reason why many people in Pakistan refused to get themselves vaccinated against COVID-19 [9,12] . People tend to share those thoughts on vaccines that tend to resonate with their own beliefs and motives and therefore, misleading the whole society.…”

“…People tend to share those thoughts on vaccines that tend to resonate with their own beliefs and motives and therefore, misleading the whole society. Furthermore, over reliance on homeopathic and Unani medicines without any clinical evidence also prevents an early detection and treatment of a patient [9,12] . As people have lesser free will opinions and largely acts in a conformist way.…”

“…Some people may also believe that their high immunity may contain the virus. These logical fallacies provided barriers to the success of COVID-19 boosters in Pakistan [9] . This sort of misinformation spread more rapidly than the campaign for people to receive booster shots [18] .…”