The perils of vaccine hesitancy based on conspiracy theories and misinformation: implications and way forward for Pakistan

BACKGROUND: Around the world, COVID-19 pandemic has exposed vulnerabilities of healthcare systems and whipped out years of progress on poverty alleviation. Nevertheless, the development of multiple COVID-19 vaccines in such a short span of time is truly a triumph of science. World Health Organization (WHO) grades vaccination as "one of the most cost-effective public health interventions to date"^[1]. Vaccines work in two distinct ways i.e., directly protecting the one who receives and indirectly, as the vaccinated people could not infect others subsequently. In this way a vaccine reduces the number of hospital admissions and deaths. How swiftly would this combined effect appear at a population level is determined by the duration and the scale of vaccination efforts. To achieve a population level effect of COVID-19 vaccine in a country; different approaches to vaccinate masses are under huge discussion to decide the priority population i.e., who will receive the jab first. From a youth first approach as in Indonesia to textured approaches, as in Pakistan, that prioritize the vulnerable or exposed populations i.e., elderly and healthcare professionals respectively^[2].