Is vaccination a choice? Is COVID-19 vaccine safe ?

 Corona virus has spread across the world like a wild fire, due to which it has affected the world as a whole. It has affected global economic, while also taking lives of millions. Chinese Medical Association (2019) states that the illness onset of the first laboratory-confirmed case of 2019-nCoV infection was on December 1, 2019 in Wuhan, China. To combat the spread of the novel corona, scientist has developed several vaccines, such as Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna . 

Lopez (2021) suggests that a single dose of this vaccine has an efficacy of 92.6% in the early post-vaccination period. While the idea of taking vaccination remained a topic of controversy, among which many denied. That is why, people should be given a choice to decide on whether to take the vaccine or not because, it is a fundamental right granted by the united nation organization and also the information about the vaccine is very limited, coupled with many risks.

However, considering the fundamental right of individual person, many countries did not officially adopt the vaccine. In addition, there are many underlying reasons which made people more apprehensive. According to universal Declaration of Human rights Adopted by United Nations. United Nation Organization (2015) claimed that everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person. Despite this declaration, many people have openly demonstrated the need to get vaccinated, yet majority has supported the idea that public ought to be provide with utmost right whether or not to get vaccinated. In response to people’s idea of not taking a vaccine, government of Bhutan has declared the possible restriction of movements across the country, and abroad for not complying to get vaccinated.

However, people did not comply with it, because everyone has the right to equal access to public service in his country. The right to access equal health services by people is a fundamental human right and no government can deny it, when people seek for it.  Nonetheless, experts are trying to find a solution to this problem, which can make public comply with getting vaccinated. However, people are adamant and sticking to the very concept of fundamental right.

Vaccine that has come to public notice after much trial and test has limited information. The efficiency of the vaccine and its immunity in battling covid-19 is not made clear. Due to the vague details, it has made public more suspicious. On the other it has also evoked fear for the vaccine. Some countries and states have already rolled-out the first phase of vaccination. This has lead to many controversies and debates. 

This is due to the fact the, some people and health worker who were vaccinated got severely sick after the vaccination, while others met a fatal death, due to which it has provoked people to analysis more on the vaccination for further verification. In a recent report by Technical advisory of world health organization, Jamie (2020) suggests that the focus on a series of key questions around achieving high and equitable uptake of vaccines through evidence-based and behaviorally informed strategies. Although, there was intense discussion on how to make people understand the behavior of the vaccine. World Health Organization could not convince public with adequate information about the vaccine.

There were rallies organized to defend the roll-out of the vaccine, as it was seen rather as a risk than a solution to the problem. It was learnt that, as (Greet,2011) said, the general public has become increasingly sensitive to potential safety issues of vaccines, as it no longer fears the diseases for which the vaccines were developed. This is one of the reasons why mandatory vaccination is rarely justified. The successful roll-out of vaccines will need more research, time, communication and trust. Some countries such as England have already rolled-out the vaccine. 

Few others countries did the same shortly after, including United States of America. The first phase of vaccine roll-out saw numerous problems associated with it, which sicknesses were followed after the vaccination. Some even reported of the adverse health issue after receiving the vaccine. The family of Ogden women, who died four days after receiving her first shot of vaccine, said that she did not have any health issues prior to receiving the vaccine. This has lead to public conclusion of vaccine being fatal and dangerous.

To conclude, the increasing threat that is caused by the new vaccine is triggering the pathos of people around the world. People on the other hand became sensitive to the limited information that the vaccine had in itself. Some openly disagreed with the idea that everyone must take the vaccine; yet, many people in west received their vaccines soon after the vaccine was approved by World Health Organization. Nonetheless, the controversies and debates continue to this day and it shall go a long way into why one must take the vaccine.