Vaccine hesitancy is a delay in acceptance, or refusal of vaccines despite the availability of vaccine services. Vaccine hesitancy is complex and context specific, varying across time, place and vaccines. It is influenced by factors such as complacency, convenience, confidence and lack of understanding about how vaccines work. The term covers outright refusals to vaccinate, delaying vaccines, accepting vaccines but remaining uncertain about their use, or using certain vaccines but not others. Among the hesitant are groups known as "anti-vaxxers" or "anti-vax", who are generally against vaccination.
A COVID‑19 vaccine is a vaccine intended to provide acquired immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19). Prior to the COVID‑19 pandemic, an established body of knowledge existed about the structure and function of coronaviruses causing diseases like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). This knowledge accelerated the development of various vaccine platforms during early 2020. The initial focus of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines was on preventing symptomatic, often severe illness. On 10 January 2020, the SARS-CoV-2 genetic sequence data was shared through GISAID, and by 19 March, the global pharmaceutical industry announced a major commitment to address COVID-19. The COVID‑19 vaccines are widely credited for their role in reducing the spread, severity, and death caused by COVID-19.
An immunity passport or vaccine passport, also known as an immunity certificate, recovery certificate or release certificate, is a document, in both paper and digital format, attesting that its bearer is immune to a contagious disease. Similar to quarantine, public certification is an action that governments can take to mitigate an epidemic.
CoronaVac, also known as the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine, is an inactivated virus COVID-19 vaccine developed by the Chinese company Sinovac Biotech. It was Phase III clinical trialled in Brazil, Chile, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Turkey and relies on traditional technology similar to BBIBP-CorV and Covaxin, other inactivated-virus COVID-19 vaccines. CoronaVac does not need to be frozen and both the final product and the raw material for formulating CoronaVac can be transported refrigerated at 2–8 °C (36–46 °F), temperatures at which flu vaccines are kept.
BBIBP-CorV, also known as the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine or BIBP vaccine, is one of two inactivated virus COVID-19 vaccines developed by Sinopharm's Beijing Institute of Biological Products. It completed Phase III trials in Argentina, Bahrain, Egypt, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with over 60,000 participants. BBIBP-CorV shares similar technology with CoronaVac and Covaxin, other inactivated virus vaccines for COVID-19. Its product name is SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine, not to be confused with the similar product name of CoronaVac.
Misinformation related to vaccination and immunization circulates in mass media and social media. Intentional spreading of false information and conspiracy theories have also been propagated by the general public and celebrities. Misinformation related to vaccination fuels vaccine hesitancy and thereby results in disease outbreaks. Although opposition to vaccination has existed for centuries, the internet and social media has recently facilitated the spread of vaccine-related misinformation. Unsubstantiated safety concerns related to vaccines are often presented as scientific information on the internet.
The COVID-19 vaccination program in the Philippines is an ongoing mass immunization campaign against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), in response to the ongoing pandemic in the country.
Israel's COVID-19 vaccination programme, officially named "Give a Shoulder", began on 19 December 2020, and has been praised for its speed, having given twenty percent of the Israeli population the first dose of the vaccines' two dose regimen in the span of three weeks.
India began administration of COVID-19 vaccines on 16 January 2021. As of 13 August 2021, India has administered over 529 million doses overall, including first and second doses of the currently-approved vaccines.
EpiVacCorona is a peptide-based vaccine against COVID-19 developed by the VECTOR center of Virology. It consists of three chemically synthesized peptides that are conjugated to a large carrier protein. This protein is a fusion product of a viral nucleocapsid protein and a bacterial MBP protein. The third phase of a clinical trial, which should show whether the vaccine is able to protect people from COVID-19 or not, was launched in November 2020 with more than three thousand participants. The interim results of the Phase III study are expected to be announced in late 2021 or early 2022. According to the vaccine developers, the peptides and the viral part of the chimeric protein should immunize people who received this vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 and trigger the production of protective antibodies. However, some experts in the field have expressed concerns about the selection of peptides for use as vaccine antigens. In addition, there are also serious concerns about the vaccine immunogenicity data, which have fueled independent civic research efforts and criticism by some experts. Meanwhile, the EpiVacCorona has received vaccine emergency authorization in a form of government registration in Russia and is available for vaccination outside the clinical trials. The vaccine delivered via intramuscular route and aluminum hydroxide serves as an immunological adjuvant.
COVID-19 vaccination in the Republic of Ireland began on 29 December 2020, in response to the ongoing pandemic in the Republic of Ireland. As of 13 August 2021, 3,479,514 people had received the first dose of a vaccine, 2,846,712 had received their second dose and 226,705 had received a single dose, bringing the total of vaccines administered to 6,326,226.
The COVID-19 vaccination campaign in the United States is an ongoing mass immunization campaign for the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The FDA granted emergency use authorization to the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine on December 10, 2020; mass vaccinations began on December 14, 2020. The Moderna vaccine was granted emergency use authorization on December 17, 2020, and the Janssen vaccine was granted emergency use authorization on February 27, 2021. By April 19, 2021, all U.S. states had opened vaccine eligibility to residents aged 16 and over. On May 10, 2021, the FDA approved the Pfizer vaccine for adolescents aged 12 to 15.
The COVID-19 vaccination program in Colombia is an ongoing effort of mass immunization put in place by the Colombian government in order to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 virus was confirmed to have reached Colombia on 6 March 2020. Colombia's preparation and readiness for a vaccine program allowed it to join the first group of countries who received vaccines through COVAX. The first vaccine in Colombia was given to a nurse on 17 February 2021. As of 12 August 2021, 31,376,085 vaccine doses have been administered across the country, 10,962,390 people have received two doses and 2,627,751 people have been vaccinated with single-dose vaccines, for a total of 13,590,141 fully vaccinated people.
COVID-19 vaccination in New Zealand began on 20 February 2021, and will continue throughout the year with the goal of vaccinating all willing New Zealanders.
Abdala, technical name CIGB-66, is a COVID-19 vaccine developed by the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Cuba. This candidate, named after a patriotic drama by Cuban independence hero José Martí, is a protein subunit vaccine containing COVID-derived proteins that trigger an immune response. The full results of the clinical trial have not yet been published. This candidate followed a previous one called CIGB-669 (MAMBISA).
Bhutan has promised a free COVID-19 vaccination to all of its citizens, both inside and outside the country. It started mass vaccinations on 27 March 2021.
Post-vaccination embolic and thrombotic events, also termed vaccine-induced prothrombotic immune thrombocytopenia (VIPIT), vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), or thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) are rare types of blood clotting syndromes that were initially observed in a very small number of people who had previously received the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (AZD1222) during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was subsequently also described in the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine leading to suspension of its use until its safety had been reassessed.
The COVID-19 vaccination in Indonesia is an ongoing mass immunization in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. On 13 January 2021, the program commenced when President Joko Widodo was vaccinated at the presidential palace. By mid-August, Indonesia has secured at least 184.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines: 152.7 million from Sinovac, 16.1 million from AstraZeneca, eight million from Sinopharm, and eight million from Moderna.
Sputnik Light is a single dose COVID-19 vaccine developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology. It consists of the first dose of the Sputnik V vaccine, which is based on the Ad26 vector, and it can be stored at a normal refrigerator temperature of 2–8 °C (36–46 °F). The institute says this version would be ideally suited for areas with acute outbreaks, allowing more people to be vaccinated quickly. It will also be used as a third (booster) dose for those who received Sputnik V at least 6 months earlier.
A COVID-19 vaccine card is a piece of paper handed to one who has received a COVID-19 vaccine showing information such as the date(s) one has received the shot(s) and the brand of vaccine one has received, sometimes including the lot number. The card also contains information identifying the recipient and the location where the shot was given. Depending on the country, it could serve as an official document verifying one has received the shot, which could be required by some institutions, such as a school or workplace, when boarding a cruise ship, or when crossing an international border, as proof that one has been vaccinated.
