151                                                                                      Journal of Rawalpindi Medical College (JRMC); 2020; 25(2): 151 
 

Editorial 
 

Hesitancy in Getting COVID-19 Vaccine – 
An Alarming Concern 

Riaz Ahmed1 
 1 Dean Orthopaedics, Neurosurgery & Trauma Department, Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi. 

 
Cite this Article: Ahmed, R. Hesitancy in Getting 
COVID-19 Vaccine – An Alarming Concern. Journal of 
Rawalpindi Medical College. 30 Jun. 2021; 25(1): 151.  
DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.37939/jrmc.v25i2.1720 

 

 
Access Online: 

 
 

Recent findings and publications indicate that vaccine 

hesitancy for coronavirus (COVID-19) is growing in all 

age ranges. In a newly released correspondence, it was 
reported that prospective healthcare practitioners 

would need assistance and adequate education in 
order to assist society in combating the COVID-19 

pandemic.1 Also medical students, who are most likely 
to come into contact with COVID-19 patients, are 

reluctant to receive vaccinations.2 Thus, it is strongly 
advised that adequate education be provided about 

the protection and effectiveness of vaccinations to 

alleviate the problem.    
A cross-sectional analysis found that 28.8 percent of 

working-age population participants choose to forego 
vaccination entirely, which was closely correlated with 

many previously described causes, including lower 
educational level, weak conformity with prior vaccine 

guidelines, and lower expectations of COVID-19 
seriousness.3 The reluctance to vaccinate can be seen 

as a deterrent for medical personnel who treat patients 

afflicted with COVID-19, as they are at the greatest 
risk of infection. Apart from protection and 

effectiveness, as described, it is critical to 'educate, 
advise, and interfere.'  On a related note, public trust 

in biomedical research must be considered, since it 
influences citizens' willingness to participate in the 

vaccine campaign.  
Given the overwhelming number of people's 

reluctance, it is proposed that public health 

programmes be restructured. Educating and raising 
awareness about the new vaccination would help 

build public confidence in the battle against the 
pandemic.  

 
 

 

Reference 
 
1. Rehman K, Hakim M, Arif N, Ul S, Lady I. COVID-19 vaccine 
acceptance, barriers and facilitators among healthcare workers in 
Pakistan. Res Sq. 2021;65(3):1–15. 
https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-431543/v2 
 2. Malik A, Malik J, Ishaq U. Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccine 
in Pakistan Among Health Care Workers. medRxiv. 
2021;24(3):20–4. doi: 
https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.02.23.21252271  
2. Schwarzinger M, Watson V, Arwidson P, Alla F, Luchini S. 
COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in a representative working-age 
population in France: a survey experiment based on vaccine 
characteristics. Lancet Public Heal. 2021;6(4):e210–21. 
https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(21)00012-8