Dear Editor, World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic back in March 2020. The virus has claimed more than 2.5 million lives globally with upwards of 113 million cases being confirmed by laboratory tests. The pandemic has impacted almost every corner of life, causing global economies to stall, changing the way we work and way to interact with our loved ones, besides stretching healthcare systems. Governments around the world were forced to implement harsh restrictions on human activities to curb the spread of the virus. But now, COVID-19 vaccination is offering a way of transition from this phase of pandemic. Many scientists believe that natural immunity would not be sufficient enough to restore society to its normal status quo and that it would result in extreme fatality. In a scenario without access to vaccine, strict behavioral measures may have had to remain in-force for foreseeable future. Fortunately, the beginning of 2021 saw numerous massive vaccination drive, with vaccines being administered to lakhs in various countries across the world. As of March 2021, just 300 million vaccine doses had been administered worldwide. The figures give hope of a return to ‘normal’. As such, we all must get vaccinated to stay safe from COVID. But, it is unfortunate that few people are spreading rumours against vaccine due to which some people get scare and are not getting vaccinated. This challenge can be overcome by educating public about the importance of COVID-19 vaccination and being transparent about development of vaccine along with prevalence of potential adverse events. Educating people helps to build trust in the decision to offer vaccinations, without which, the world will not be able to overcome the pandemic and return to ‘normal’ life. Through your esteemed daily, I would like to request all to get vaccinated and not to believe in rumours or negativity. Kshitiza Sharma, Greater Kailash.
