A closer look at COVID-19 vaccines: the known, the unknown, and the uncertain

Abstract

Since its onset in December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the world, with a heavy toll on human lives and economic activities. The COVID-19 pandemic is believed to be the largest global public health crisis in a century (UNFPA, 2020) and has been described as the greatest challenge experienced since World War Two (UNDP, 2020). As a result, rapid development of an effective and safe vaccine became a global imperative. After an unconventionally expedited production track, COVID-19 vaccines have arrived, and with them the biggest vaccination campaign in history has begun. As of February 9th, 2021, more than 134 million vaccine doses in 73 countries have been administered (Bloomberg, 2021). In Lebanon, the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines is expected to arrive during the first half of February 2021. Preparations are underway for optimal vaccine deployment. The plan includes details on set priority groups, deployment centers, and other related instructions (MOPH, 2021). Despite the societal upheaval the pandemic has triggered, and the hopes built on the COVID-19 vaccines, considerable vaccine hesitancy has been witnessed. A study from Arab countries reported that the general public acceptance rate for COVID-19 vaccines was only 29.4% (Sallam et al., 2021). In Lebanon, based on the results of an unpublished study employing social media surveys, a substantial proportion (79%) of the Lebanese population has shown hesitancy towards the COVID-19 vaccines (Halabi et al., submitted article). Both conspiracy theories (Ball & Maxmen, 2020) and misinformation (Lockyer et al, 2020) lie at the very base of vaccine hesitancy. Additionally, considerable ambiguity remains in relation to different aspects and characteristic of COVID-19 vaccines. The aim of this product is to present the latest evidence on COVID-19 vaccines. The aim is not to advocate for or against COVID-19 vaccines in general or a specific COVID-19 vaccine, but rather to present the known, the unknown, and the uncertain. Information in this product can also serve as a base for informational campaigns, thereby promoting mindful and informed decision-making. The evidence presented in this product is based on the evidence available by February 10, 2021. K2P