[ad_1]
SINGAPORE: COVID-19 has completely changed our lives. There is a general expectation that life will return to a normal appearance with a COVID-19 vaccine.
Whether that is true remains to be seen, but vaccination will be an important step towards this goal.
Now we are closer to that stage. After months of anticipation, one or two vaccines may soon go into mass production. This is an incredible feat of science.
READ: Comment: Good news, the first approved COVID-19 vaccine is here. But don’t throw away your masks yet
Moderna has announced an ongoing review of its vaccine with the Health Sciences Authority, our regulatory body for medical devices. Also, the Singapore government has been working very hard to ensure that Singapore has access to these vaccines.
Singapore will work to secure a portfolio of vaccines to serve different segments of the population, given the multiple factors that come into play with regards to vaccine distribution, including the lack of data on the sustainability of immunity for certain COVID-19 vaccines. , Health Minister Gan Kim Yong had said in November.
READ: Comment: A COVID-19 vaccine in Singapore? This is what has to happen first
CHALLENGES IN THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE COVID-19 VACCINE
Still, there are several challenges when implementing a COVID-19 vaccine.
Vaccines can protect the individual as vaccination reduces their risk of disease. They can also be used to create herd immunity, a situation in which the number of people left to become infected is so small that the spread of the virus is slowed.
Challenges in vaccine deployment include deciding who has priority for a limited initial dose of vaccines and how to vaccinate enough to achieve herd immunity.
OBSERVE: At least 6 in 10 need COVID-19 vaccine to achieve herd immunity in Singapore: Experts | Video
THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN HIGH ANTICIPATION
But the focus on logistics and triage may have clouded attention to whether Singapore residents would certainly accept a vaccine if a program were implemented.
FILE – In this July 27, 2020, file photo, nurse Kathe Olmstead prepares an injection that is part of a possible COVID-19 vaccine, developed by the National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc., in Binghamton, NY (AP Photo / Hans Pennink, archive)
We are some time away from that exercise, but a deep understanding of the prevailing concerns about COVID-19 vaccination among a sizeable population could inform public communication strategy.
To do this, we engage stakeholders from the healthcare sector, government, academia, and business to discuss a wide range of issues relevant to a national vaccination program.
Unsurprisingly, the business community has high expectations, as a vaccine will allow companies to operate with fewer restrictions and allow networking activities, a critical part of operations, to resume.
Showing a high level of trust in science, health professionals and scientists we spoke with also noted that recent vaccine clinical trial data shows that the vaccine is safe.
READ: Comment: Let’s change from wanting to be COVID-free to becoming COVID watchers
However, all stakeholders recognized that requiring vaccination is not a practical approach. One participant suggested increasing uptake of vaccination by linking it to incentives, for example relaxing current work restrictions for companies whose staff have been vaccinated. However, this can lead to ethical problems if some workers refuse vaccination.
A survey of 515 respondents conducted in September by Professor Eric Finkelstein of the Duke-NUS School of Medicine found that 20 percent or more of respondents do not want to get vaccinated, even if it is free.
More detailed, robust and nationally representative studies will be required, but these statistics are being confirmed in other preliminary surveys in Singapore. In our own pilot study using the Facebook Poll that involved 78 respondents, one in five also said they will never want to get vaccinated.
READ: Comment: Will people really reject a COVID-19 vaccine out of fear?
FEELINGS AMONG FACEBOOK USERS TOWARDS GENERALLY POSITIVE COVID-19 VACCINES
Online chatting may not be representative of general public attitudes, but it can give an idea of what people are thinking.
People wearing face masks at Marine Parade Central on September 14, 2020 (Photo: Try Sutrisno Foo)
In an analysis of COVID-19-related Facebook posts made by the three major English-language media outlets in Singapore (Straits Times, CNA and Today) from August 27 to November 27, Dr. Aravind Sesagiri Raamkumar of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health analyzed the comments. in 100 COVID-19 vaccine posts using both qualitative and quantitative techniques.
We find that the feelings expressed are generally positive, with two or more positive feelings expressed for each negative feeling.
Among the negative comments, there were discussions of conspiracies, safety concerns, opinions that vaccines are not necessary as the death rate from COVID-19 in Singapore has been very low, and increased reliance on vaccines developed in certain countries. compared to others. .
READ: Comment: So vaccines are here, but how will they reach billions around the world?
PROBABLY NO RUSH RUSH FOR THE VACCINE WHEN IT FIRST LAUNCHED IN SINGAPORE
The data suggests that we do not expect a mad race for the vaccine when it is first released in Singapore.
In our Facebook survey, the proportion of respondents who said they are ready to be vaccinated at any time, within three months, six months or 12 months of its availability in Singapore, is 22%, 11%, 15 % and 32%. cent respectively.
This can be a good thing, as we can worry less about meeting an increase in demand and focus on distributing the initially limited number of vaccines to those who were prioritized first, such as healthcare workers and the vulnerable.
READ: Comment: What Vaccine-Driven Recovery? A double dip recession looks more likely
But this relaxed view on vaccination can be a double-edged sword because it means authorities will have to spend resources convincing the public to vaccinate people when the number of cases may still be low rather than waiting for the number to rise. number of cases before vaccination. And let fear drive the desire to vaccinate.
As the number of cases increases, our healthcare facilities will reduce bandwidth and the ability to vaccinate large numbers of people. They should focus on managing COVID-19 cases.
People in protective masks are seen at the National Center for Infectious Diseases. (Photo Rauf Khan)
This wait-and-see attitude is not a good strategy. A vaccine doesn’t get safer just by waiting for it.
At this stage, seeing how so many health care agencies and infectious disease experts are analyzing data to ensure vaccine safety, any long-term side effects are likely to affect only an extremely small number of people.
READ: Comment: We can’t give up on developing other COVID-19 candidate vaccines now
YOUNG PEOPLE ARE MORE WILLING TO VACCINATION
Of all the demographic factors that affect attitudes and willingness to get vaccinated, we have found age to be a key factor. In our survey, people age 35 and younger are more likely to say they are ready to get vaccinated anytime (42%) compared to people age 36 and older (13%).
At the same time, people 36 years and older are more likely to say they will never get vaccinated (23%) compared to people 35 years and younger (17%).
These findings are in line with a previous study among adults 65 and older in Singapore on flu vaccines conducted by Professor May Oo Lwin at Nanyang Technological University, where lack of perceived vulnerability, fear of side effects and the trivialization of influenza were reasons cited for not doing so. get vaccinated.
The reasons for not taking the COVID-19 vaccine among the elderly may be different this time. As an anecdote, there is a feeling of vulnerability to COVID-19 among the elderly, but fear of side effects predominates.
READ: Comment: Here’s how our seniors can better protect themselves against COVID-19
MORE RESEARCH NEEDED ON KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS TOWARDS COVID-19 VACCINES
Much work urgently needs to be done to better understand Singaporeans’ knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines, so that scientists and the government can help answer questions and address their concerns.
Clear and accurate communication about vaccines and their impact and safety will be vital to a successful vaccination program.
READ: Comment: Why rushing a COVID-19 vaccine could spell disaster
As residents, you can participate in this too. Our Facebook survey had a response rate of about one in 10, which is comparable to many door-to-door surveys used in public health studies, but greater participation, particularly from reluctant respondents, could unearth new views. .
So the next time a researcher comes to you asking for your opinion on the COVID-19 vaccine, we hope you will share your honest opinion.
Hear from infectious disease experts discuss what a COVID-19 vaccine would look like:
CHECK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments
Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram
Assistant Professors Wee Hwee Lin and Hannah Clapham are faculty members of the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health. Assistant Professor Wee is also the director of the Health Policy Evaluation and Intervention Research Center, which conducts economic and program evaluations to inform the design of health service delivery and policy making.
