Myths and conspiracy theories on vaccines and COVID-19: Potential effect on global vaccine refusals
Irfan Ullaha b c, Kiran Shafiq Khand, Muhammad Junaid Tahire f, Ali Ahmedg, Harapan Harapanh i j✉
- aKabir Medical College, Gandhara University, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
- bNaseer Teaching Hospital, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
- cUndergraduate Research Organization, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh
- dDow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi 74200, Pakistan
- eAmeer-ud-Din Medical College, Affiliated with University of Health and Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
- fLahore General Hospital, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
- gSchool of Pharmacy, Monash University, Bandar Sunway 47500, Malaysia
- hDepartment of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Banda Aceh 23111, Indonesia
- iMedical Research Unit, School of Medicine, Indonesia
- jTropical Diseases Centre, School of Medicine, Indonesia
- ✉Corresponding author
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Abstract
The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is one of the international crises and researchers are working collaboratively to develop a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine. The World Health Organization recognizes vaccine hesitancy as the world's top threat to public health safety, particularly in low middle-income countries. Vaccine hesitancy can be due to a lack of knowledge, false religious beliefs, or anti-vaccine misinformation. The current situation regarding anti-vaccine beliefs is pointing towards dreadful outcomes. It raises the concern that will people believe and accept the new COVID-19 vaccines despite all anti-vaccine movements and COVID-19-related myths and conspiracy theories. This review discusses the possible detrimental impacts of myths and conspiracy theories related to COVID-19 and vaccine on COVID-19 vaccine refusals as well as other vaccine programs.
TL;DRThe concern is raised that will people believe and accept the new COVID-19 vaccines despite all anti-vaccine movements and COVID-19-related myths and conspiracy theories, as well as other vaccine programs. (Semantic Scholar)