Impact of a Dynamic COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy on Public Perception in India

Abstract

Background and Objective: India undertakes the largest COVID-19 vaccination drive in the world, which has undergone multiple changes since the beginning. We examined how these changes in strategy affect public perception, which is connected to the campaign’s success. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional approach was undertaken, where all non-health worker, who were vaccine recipients at a COVID-19 vaccination centre in Kolkata, India, and willing to participate, were approached with a pre-tested questionnaire to understand their perception. Results: The majority of the participants (61.1% of 753 samples) felt that the under-18 population should have been vaccinated earlier; 32.7% and 13.5% stated effectiveness and safety issues resulted in changes in the vaccination strategy, respectively. A majority (50.7%) opined that vaccine shortage necessitated postponement in the second dose of Covishield. Changes in vaccination schedules caused confusion and chances of a longer-running COVID-19 crisis, according to 65.2% and 40.2% of participants, respectively. Moreover, many (56.3%) were unaware of raised efficacy due to interdosage delay. The elderly, females, salaried, and participants without any health worker in the family had a significant chance of having an unfavourable perception towards this changing vaccination strategy. Conclusion: Vaccines often undergo changes in administration strategy due to evolving evidence. Moreover, it has been observed that a delay in the second dose increases vaccine efficacy. However, inadequate awareness regarding such changes causes confusion and creates a misconception in the public mind. Timely dissemination of accurate scientific information and stopping the propagation of misinformation are necessary to address the dilemma and ensure maximum public support for the vaccination programme.