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In this context, the Red Cross is sounding the alarm: Governments around the world must combat the phenomenon of “fake news” related to anti-Covid 19 vaccines, which has become “the second pandemic”. The statement was made by the president of the International Federation of the Red Cross.
According to Francesco Rocca, leaders must build trust in communities about the importance of vaccination.
Rocca said that “more and more people are hesitant when it comes to vaccines, especially the Covid vaccine.” The president of the Federation of the Red Cross cited a recent Johns Hopkins University study in 67 countries, and the research found that the vaccine acceptance rate had dropped significantly in most countries from July to October 2020.
“To overcome this pandemic, we must also overcome the pandemic of mistrust,” said Francecsco Rocca. In a quarter of the countries that participated in the Johns Hopkins study, the acceptance rate for the Covid-19 vaccine was close to or less than 50%. Japan fell from 70% to 50%, while France fell from 51% to 38%.
A new pandemic threatens humanity. “It is by no means a Western phenomenon”
Rocca said that lack of trust “is by no means a Western phenomenon,” explaining that studies conducted by the Red Cross in recent months in eight African countries – Congo, Cameroon, Gabon, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Lesotho and Kenya – have shown a steady decline in the perception of the risk of Covid-19 infection.
A growing number of people believed that the virus did not affect young people or Africans, but also that the disease no longer existed, but it also existed that the pandemic was over, Rocca told the United Nations Correspondents Association. “In many African countries, we have seen that most people are skeptical when it comes to vaccines, with the widespread idea that foreigners use Africa to get tested.”
The president of the International Federation of the Red Cross also said that surprisingly certain groups, who are often vulnerable and marginalized, were not even aware of the pandemic, according to a survey conducted in Pakistan, in which 10% of respondents did not they even knew Covid. -19.
“We believe that the massive and coordinated efforts that will be needed to administer the Covid vaccine fairly must be accompanied by equally great efforts to build and maintain trust,” concluded Francesco Rocca.
