Hyderabad: Telangana government is contemplating putting a counseling mechanism to instill confidence among health workers who registered for the COVID vaccine but had to withdraw due to alleged fears, Telangana health minister Eatala Rajender said on Sunday.
The minister was speaking at the Telangana State Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Trade (TSFCCT)’s virtual talk here, about COVID-19 vaccine and its efficiency.
Rajendar spoke about the unscientific and unreliable news about the efficacy of vaccines that are being spread. “To dispel such fears and build confidence, I volunteered to take the Covid vaccine. Today 25 to 30 per cent of health workers still have not taken the vaccine. The medical fraternity must play an important role in dispelling the myths and fears,” he said.
“It is those in health care who can clear the air,” he said, adding that they must use social media and mass media to spread awareness about the efficacy of the vaccine.
“The vaccine is mRNA based and no one knows exactly how it behaves. It behaves differently in different countries and environments. Like all vaccines, COVID-19 mRNA vaccines have been rigorously tested for safety before being authorized for use.” said the health minister.
Rajender further appealed to the union health ministry to allow Telangana state to procure locally-developed vaccine (Bharath BioTech’s Covaxin) for making it available for everyone. According to the health minister, the Telangana government has so far received around 8 lakh doses.