Ever since COVID-19 started spreading like wildfire in the world, there has been tremendous pressure on hospital networks, governments, and the human race as a whole, throwing them into a bad space psychologically, making vaccine refusals seen foolish. It is important to understand why people refuse or delay themselves from getting vaccinated. There are certain criteria as in mental barriers that lead to the same.
“As a clinical psychologist who works mainly with adults suffering from personality, anxiety, and mood disorders, I have a front-row seat for observing the distress, frustration, and unease of those at the heart of this pandemic.
Psychological Hurdles Leading To COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy And Refusal
Behind the refusal to be vaccinated, there is a complex emotional spectrum that colors each person’s behavior and choices.”
What we need to understand by the above statement is that the virus has hit the human race very adversely in many ways, which ultimately is leading them into depression, anxiety, psychological disorders, frustration, uneasiness, etc.
These are some of the very few reasons behind people refusing to get vaccinated. There is a complex structure of human behavior, emotionally, giving rise to this. People are still scared of this disease, and they are yet not sure if the vaccine can help them stay safe against infection caused by this virus.
Apart from health conditions, there are quite a few other reasons like religious beliefs and superstitions that convince people not to take the vaccine. The following nine factors provide a good picture of the complexity of this situation.
Misunderstanding and Lack of Information:
The very first barrier is the lack of information about the vaccine and the importance of getting vaccinated as early as possible. Misunderstanding the need, necessity, and advantages of the vaccine also leads to people’s skeptical behavior. Since there is no reliable source of information, or rather there are too many opinions available on the internet today, there obviously is a conflict of interests, contradicting understanding about the vaccine.
This hence is leaving people confused and perplexed. ‘Why should you get vaccinated if you can still catch the virus and transmit it? Why vaccinate young people if they are less vulnerable to the virus? Such are the questions in the minds of the population that are often left unanswered and can paralyze someone’s thinking and reduce their willingness to get vaccinated.
Fear of needles and vaccines:
Now this fear of needles may seem not so legit to others but affects the sufferer intensely. We often see many with the fear of needles and basically getting vaccinated. It is not only about the needles but also about the fear of the side effects of the vaccine. Some people may not refuse to be vaccinated but will wait until more people are to see if there are any long-term side effects.
The feeling of helplessness:
This feeling in people’s minds is basically because of the uncertainty the pandemic has brought with it. The emergence of new variants of the virus, the sudden rise and fall in cases over the past few months are leaving the people helpless and desperate, although the vaccination drives are going on. This is hence deteriorating people’s motivation and willingness to get vaccinated.
Aware but not concerned:
There are some people who are quite ignorant about the virus and the vaccine. People with the mindset that they are healthy to make them not take the vaccine. The fact that they often miss out is that they are entirely capable of transmitting the virus to others. These people take the seriousness of the virus and the importance of taking the vaccine for granted.
