Pakistan’s COVID-19 vaccination initiative has been marred by multiple conspiracy theories prevailing in masses.
As Pakistan approaches COVID-19 vaccine approval, several conspiracy theories have emerged recently encouraging people’s skepticism regarding coronavirus inoculation.
Various questions, concerns regarding COVID-19 vaccine have popped up in recent days regarding COVID-19 vaccine’s effect on a person’s fertility, mind control and the list goes on.
Volunteers who have step forwarded for vaccine trials in Pakistan are also somewhat skeptic and anxious regarding possible side-effects of coronavirus vaccine.
According to Dr Mohsin Ali of Shifa International Hospital Islamabad, people have outlandish beliefs and concerns regarding coronavirus vaccine.
Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital is currently holding COVID-19 vaccine named ‘Ad5-nCoV’ developed by Chinese company CanSino Biologics.
Furthermore, a survey conducted by Gallup Pakistan shows that 37 per cent of Pakistanis intend not to be vaccinated for COVID-19.
The development comes as Pakistan is amongst the handful of countries that are still affected by polio virus due to public refrainment and skepticism.
Polio workers have been subjected to attacks especially in rural areas of Pakistan.
Expressing his views Tauqeer Hussain Mallhi – Assistant Professor at Al-Jawf University, in Sakakah, Saudi Arabia; said that people in Pakistan don’t even consider COVID-19 to be a real disease.
Meanwhile, Dr. Qibla Ayaz – Chairman Council of Islamic Ideology, has also acknowledged public skepticism and concerns regarding COVID-19 vaccine due to public-wide skepticism regarding western countries.
He noted that it public skepticism, concerns might be addressed by procuring COVID-19 vaccine from Russia or China instead of United States and United Kingdom.
It is pertinent to know that earlier a five-member cabinet committee was formed under Asad Umar – Federal Minister for planning and development.
Meanwhile, federal cabinet approved US$ 150 million for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccine.
