US kicks off COVID-19 vaccination campaign but over 21% adults not willing to get the shot

The US vaccination programme aims to cover 100 million people by April. Meanwhile, a survey reveals that younger adults were more likely than older population to express willingness to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

By: Longjam Dineshwori | | Updated: December 15, 2020 10:20 pm

Vaccines have the power to save lives and accelerate the return to economic normalcy at the earliest, say experts.

The US on Monday started nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign with the Pfizer/BioNTech jab, but many of its citizens are not willing to get the shot. According to a survey, at least 21.3 per cent adults in the country are not planning to get the Covid-19 vaccine. Also Read - Covid-19 variant detected in UK may be ‘more deadly than the older virus strain’

People seemed to be more worried about receiving the Covid-19 vaccine under emergency use authorisation, noted the researchers of the study, published in the American Journal of Infection Control. Also Read - ‘Enhanced immunity, no serious adverse events’: Lancet releases Covaxin’s Phase 1 trial data

Out of the 788 US adults surveyed, 59.9 per cent of the respondents said that they were definitely or probably planning to receive a future coronavirus vaccine, while 18.8 per cent were neutral about it and 21.3 per cent said they were probably or definitely not planning to get it. Also Read - Is reinfection of coronavirus a reality? Know if you are at risk

About getting the vaccine under an emergency use authorisation, 46.9 per cent of the respondents said that they were definitely, likely, or somewhat willing to do so; while 53.1 per cent responded they were definitely, likely, or somewhat unwilling to do so.

The expected side-effects of the vaccines may also make people hesitate to get the shot, said the study’s lead author Jeanine Guidry from the Virginia Commonwealth University in the US.

Younger respondents were more likely than older respondents to express willingness to get the vaccine, according to the study.

Three million doses of Pfizer vaccine distributed across the US

As the United States kicks off its largest ever immunisation campaign, the first three million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine are being distributed across dozens of locations by cargo plane and truck. Only selected frontline health workers and elderly patients would be administered the initial shots.

The US vaccination programme aims to cover 100 million people by April. Pfizer has also agreed to supply the country with 100 million doses of the vaccine by March.

Sandra Lindsay, an intensive care nurse at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New York, was among the first health workers given the jab on Monday. She received the vaccine live on camera, the footage of which was streamed on the Twitter feed of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

The immunisation campaign was rolled out just two days after the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine received emergency-use authorisation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine – which has been found to offer up to 95% protection against the coronavirus infection in clinical trials – is the first Covid-19 vaccine to be approved by US regulators. The vaccine has already been approved in a few other countries including the UK, Canada, Bahrain, Singapore, and Kuwait. Canada also began its inoculation programme on Monday, with the first 30,000 doses distributed to 14 sites across the country.

FDA’s decision on Moderna vaccine expected soon

Another vaccine, developed by Moderna and the National Institutes of Health, is awaiting approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The FDA on Tuesday confirmed the effectiveness and safety of the Moderna vaccine following its preliminary analysis. A panel of outside experts will offer their recommendation on Thursday, and thereafter the FDA will announce its final decision.

The US government is planning to make available an additional 200 million doses of Moderna vaccine by June.

Both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines require two shots, spaced three to four weeks apart, for full protection.

With inputs from IANS

Published : December 15, 2020 10:10 pm | Updated:December 15, 2020 10:20 pm

Read Disclaimer

Lethal black fungus strikes patients recovering from COVID-19, causes vision loss and more

1st week crucial for COVID-19 patients after leaving hospital: Post-recovery tips for you

Covid-19 variant detected in UK may be ‘more deadly than the older virus strain’

‘Enhanced immunity, no serious adverse events’: Lancet releases Covaxin’s Phase 1 trial data

South African coronavirus variant may 'escape antibodies, cause reinfection'

Is reinfection of coronavirus a reality? Know if you are at risk

COVID-19 vaccines: How It Works, Who Should Take It, Safety, Precautions And Thereafter

About The health Site

Useful Links