Abiad: Concerns over COVID-19 Vaccine Could Impede Vaccination Drive

Firass Abiad, the Manager and CEO of state-run Rafik Hariri University Hospital, said Saturday that concerns among Lebanese over possible side effects from COVID-19 vaccine could impede the vaccination drive.

“The vaccine is about to arrive, and needs to be rolled out quickly if we are to stay ahead of the Covid variants. What is the attitude of the public towards receiving the vaccine? At RHUH, we conducted an employee survey to find out. It was informative and surprising,” said Abiad in a tweet.

“Most of the responders (736) were healthcare workers, and just 12% said they will decline to take the vaccine. However, only 39% affirmed they will take it, and 49% were undecided. This is despite that 79% of the responders work in direct contact with Covid patients,” he added.

Noting that more “importantly, 55% said that they have no or insufficient information about the vaccine. The main source of information for most (64%) was the media. The main concern was side effects (81%), and many (84%) thought that people at low risk for severe Covid can wait.”

Abiad raised concerns that “all this leads to one conclusion: if frontline healthcare workers have concerns about the vaccine, so too has the public. If not addressed, these concerns will impede the vaccination drive. An incessant public awareness campaign is much needed, and cannot start soon enough.”