Many Lebanese are still hesitant to get the Covid-19 vaccine although the countdown for the inoculation campaign has already begun.
The increase in daily infection rate persists, prompting health officials to urge citizens to register on the platform launched to facilitate vaccinations against Covid-19 so that the highest possible degree of communal immunity is reached.
Abdul Rahman Al-Bizri, head of the Health Ministry’s Scientific Committee on Combatting COVID-19 said that over 500,000 people have registered for the vaccine so far, explaining that “the campaign will target healthcare workers and the elderly first.
“The first batch of vaccines will include 28,000 doses, and subsequent batches will arrive weekly,” he said in a radio interview.
Bizri also predicted that “the number of those who wish to receive the vaccine will rise gradually.”
He called on Lebanese citizens to learn about the course of the pandemic in the UK and the US.
"The rate of infections there decreased as a result of the implementation of strict lockdown measures and robust inoculation campaigns in other countries, which is what Lebanon aspires to do”, adding that “the vaccines that will be available in Lebanon are those from Pfizer and AstraZeneca, with the possibility of obtaining the Russian vaccine later.”
Also, Firas Abiad, the director of Rafic Hariri University Hospital, said in a tweet that hesitancy over the vaccine remains strong despite the high number of reported deaths, including young patients.
“Only 33 percent of respondents above 65 years of age (high-risk groups) said that they want to get vaccinated, adding that only 4.5 percent of the population has registered to get the vaccine in 10 days,” he noted.
“The two main issues behind this hesitancy are: A general lack of trust and fear of the side effects from the vaccine. The inoculation campaign is expected to launch in a few days. Success is dependent on a wide public participation. A low turnout will have dire consequences.”
In an effort by Abyad to encourage Lebanese citizens to register on the platform, he explained that “the vaccine can help in different ways. Most importantly, it is very effective at preventing severe complications after infection. This means fewer patients in intensive care units and fewer deaths. It also means no waiting in emergency rooms, no oxygen tanks at home, and less strain on healthcare workers."
“In short, the vaccination campaign is showing some worrying early signs, and we’re running out of time. Anything less than a well-organized campaign will further erode public trust and derail the entire process,” he noted.
