In times of health emergencies, especially with an infectious disease outbreak like COVID-19 that infuriates around the world, causing millions of deaths, public health and social measures and vaccines are the most powerful tool at our disposal to save lives. While the process behind a vaccine and all the implications of its functioning might need some time and studying to be fully understood, the benefits of immunization are immediately visible to all. Vaccines are one of the greatest success stories in public health history, as, through them, we could eradicate smallpox and nearly eliminate the wild polio virus – just to mention a few.
As efforts to prevent infectious diseases through vaccination step up, people have become increasingly concerned about the risks associated with vaccines. Unfortunately, especially in crisis and emergencies, the combination of misinformation and infodemic generates and nurtures a climate of concern, if not even panic. Word of mouth is enough; rumours start spreading, doubts scale-up and people can significantly lose confidence in the vaccine. Ultimately, the vicious cycle might lead to a dramatic decrease in immunization coverage, a dangerous scenario, which leaves more opportunities for infectious diseases to spread.
A substantial portion of rumours, doubts, and fears concern the so-called Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI), the side effects many people experience after receiving a vaccine shot.
AEFI can be temporary and mild to moderate, as fever and body ache, or rare and severe – but are they caused by the just injected vaccine? Not necessarily. Most AEFI are not related to the vaccine. They could be due to a mere coincidence of events, anxiety, human or programme error.
“Does this mean that the vaccines cannot cause any adverse events?”
Let’s clean the floor: vaccines, like any other medicines, can have side effects. Still, before being cleared for public usage, vaccines have to go through a very systematic and scientific research and development process. Prior to their wide-scale use, the drug regulators extensively review the scientific evidence to ensure they are effective and safe.
Vaccines are our best defence against infectious diseases, and their administration is based on a risk versus benefit analysis. When immunization has such a role in decreasing the death rate and severity of disease in the vaccinated population, rumours and fears should be relegated to a minor role. If you are not sure, if you are too scared, if you have anxiety, get informed. Ask your doctors and professional health providers for guidance and advice, learn more from reliable sources, such as the DGDA or WHO dedicated web pages.
“I have learnt that information, and I got vaccinated. Now I am experiencing some side effects; I know that mild and temporary AEFI are perfectly normal, but what do I do if I am still worried about feeling sick after immunization?”
You report, immediately.
In case adverse events occur, the first step is to seek medical advice, timely reach out and report them to doctors and professional health workers.
Monitoring and reporting are essential to identify and assess risks, and this information will help the system promptly allow additional research and take appropriate action. Every country has systems in place to timely collect data, investigate them and ensure that any safety concerns are addressed quickly.
In Bangladesh, the government systematically monitors the adverse events that might occur following the COVID-19 National Vaccine Deployment Plan (NVDP). The Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) has established an online system for adverse event reporting with technical support from WHO and USAID funded Medicines Therapeutics and Pharmaceutical Systems (MTAPs) programme. Over 1 000 national health workers have been recently trained on reporting procedures, improving the national capacity to identify any risks related to administering COVID-19 vaccines in Bangladesh and mitigate those risks.
Senior officials from DGDA and EPI inaugurated the opening session of the virtual training on pharmacovigilance reporting for COVID-19 vaccine AEFIs
The trainees represented different levels of the national health system, like Upazila Health and Family Planning Officers, Civil Surgeons, Coordination Officers, Divisional Directors, District officers, Assistant Directors and Superintendent of Drugs, Directors and Affiliated representatives from District hospitals, Specialized Hospital and Institutions, Combined Military Hospital (CMH), all City Corporations, Surveillance and Immunization Medical Officers (SIMOs).
Besides the urgent need to control the spread of COVID-19 in the country, the programme is a powerful tool in the fight against other vaccine-preventable diseases, ultimately towards the achievement of Universal Health Coverage.
“Whether it is a vaccine to fight COVID-19 or another disease, what happens after my report?”
Once a report has been filed, the Causality Assessment Committees established at divisional and national levels systematically examine any reported adverse events and determine whether they were related to the vaccines or not.
Based on the findings, the DGDA, as the national regulatory authority, takes the appropriate corrective actions to ensure the safety of the population. Closely working with WHO experts, the DGDA has been carrying out several activities and interventions to comply with the international standards in regulating medical products to minimize the risks related to the use of medical products and maximize the potential therapeutic outcomes. Furthermore, WHO is carefully monitoring the rollout of all COVID-19 vaccines worldwide and will continue to work closely with countries to manage potential risks and use science and data to drive response and recommendations.
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Frontline health worker is receiving the 1st dose of COVID-19 vaccine at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital (BSMMU). Photo by WHO Bangladesh/ Angelina Halder
Vaccines are safe and effective, and all eligible people, regardless of their gender, race, and socio-economic status, should seek immunization. Together with preventive measures, such as adequately wearing a mask, keeping distance and frequently washing hands – measures that should not be abandoned before, during and after the vaccine rollout – vaccines are indeed the best weapon against the spread of infectious diseases.
Getting vaccinated not only protects yourself; it is an act of love and social responsibility, the best life-saving gift you can make to your family and community.