Despite shortages of vaccines and people struggling to get access as they look forward to resuming normal life, not everyone is eager to get vaccinated.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, many of us have seen at least one person, whether it's a family member, friend, or relative, who choose to continue living in the midst of an outbreak without getting vaccinated. These people usually keep the decision to themselves and get offended or upset when they're asked if they plan to get vaccinated.
Why are some people more afraid of getting vaccinated than catching Covid-19? It's a question one may ask but anti-vaxxers are not ignorant. They're a diverse group who have many reasons to avoid getting vaccinated. They include adults and the elderly who are concerned that vaccines aren't safe or that potential side effects aren't worth the risk. Some think the risk of getting Covid is quite low, especially if they're staying home most of the time. Meanwhile, others simply lack trust in the government or are not interested in certain brands of vaccines provided by the government who they think are profiting from people's lives.
According to a "Bangkok Poll" by Bangkok University Research Center on the status of vaccination of 1,248 people aged 18 and above between July and August across all regions of the country, 47.2% said they had booked an appointment and were waiting to get vaccinated, 19.3% were looking forward to alternative vaccines, 14.9% said they were waiting to register, and 10% did not plan to get vaccinated at all.
This apparently has become a big issue, especially in Western countries. In America, around 30% of adults are anti-vaxxers who believe their choice has been taken away as governments and companies are debating whether Covid-19 vaccines should become mandatory. In Germany, unvaccinated Germans will have to foot the bill if they want to eat out or go shopping. In France, access to trains, domestic flights and restaurants and bars will only be allowed to the fully vaccinated, leading a quarter million to protest against the tightening of rules against the unvaccinated.
While this may not happen in Thailand, or at least not yet, since we're still in lockdown with people at home maintaining social distance, however, once the situation becomes better in another year or two as people go back to work and schools reopen, I think this could become a divisive issue at that time. We'll see it in workplaces, schools and other public places where people who are vaccinated will claim that their rights are being infringed upon. They won't want to go to a clinic where healthcare workers haven't been vaccinated or to work or the supermarket without assurances that they are not breathing in Covid or are safe.
I understand and don't think it's silly that one would hesitate to get a vaccine because no matter how much science you know or how logical you think they are, vaccines can be scary. There's something about someone injecting us with a foreign substance, not to mention the news about people dying after getting a shot. Unfortunately, everything we do comes with risks and vaccines are no different. However, the important questions here include how likely are the possible downsides and what are the hidden dangers of not acting. Of course, if you're going to inject millions of people with a vaccine, someone somewhere is going to have an adverse reaction. However, for the vast majority, the chance of things going seriously wrong is small.
Another thing we all need to understand is this is not a personal problem. This only works if everyone takes their responsibility to be part of the Covid solution. The fact is that the vast majority of people who are now getting sick or potentially dying of Covid are unvaccinated, they're more likely to be passing on the virus to other people because they're more likely to be infected. The hard truth is that if you decide not to get the Covid vaccine, you are robbing someone else of their right to live a healthy life. So, it's not merely a personal choice, but something that affects the lives of a lot of other people.
The bottom line is that I hope the government would step up and make sure everyone has access to better and alternative vaccines. Also, the government must make them available and convenient for everyone while ensuring it gains the trust of anti-vaxxers who can be convinced to get vaccinated.
Tatat Bunnag is a feature writer for the Life section of the Bangkok Post.
