Vaccine hesitancy and distrust: concerns of healthcare workers of Pakistani origin-a survey

Background: Vaccine acceptance can play a pivotal role towards control of COVID-19. Many healthcare workers (HCWs) have articulated safety and effectiveness concerns despite being the frontline takers of vaccination. This survey was aimed to investigate the causes of COVID- 19 vaccine hesitancy and distrust among HCWs of Pakistani origin. Methodology: This internet-based survey was conducted on 138 HCWs of Pakistani origin from January 2021 to April 2021. Results: Out of a total of 138 subjects, 137 (99.3%) HCWs responded to the survey. COVID-19 vaccinations had already been administered to 101 (74%) of the respondents. Out of 36 (26.2%) unvaccinated individuals, 19 (14%) completely declined the vaccination. The prevalence of participants who distrust vaccination effectiveness and safety was 110 (80.3%), while 94 (68.6%) believed vaccine safety was compromised due to rapid development. The prevalence of HCWs who believed long-term adverse effects and that the manufacturers falsified the data was 36 (26.3%) and 22 (16%) respectively. Conclusion: Our survey found that fears and concerns about the efficacy of the vaccine can impasse struggles to disease transmission and vaccine distribution. Healthcare workers in Pakistan had a higher prevalence of vaccine acceptance compared to other surveys.