Obstacles and Insights: A Retrospective Study of COVID-19 Vaccination hurdles

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a global effort to develop safe and effective vaccines to curb its
spread. In India, the government launched a large-scale vaccination program to protect frontline healthcare workers.
However, concerns regarding vaccine safety and efficacy, coupled with vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers,
presented significant challenges to the program's success. This study aimed to identify the apprehensions and concerns of
frontline healthcare workers and also explore the operational barriers in the implementation of Covid -19 vaccination
program. Materials & Methods This retrospective cross-sectional survey was conducted in Madhya Pradesh, India
from January to March 2022. The study included 519 frontline healthcare workers from three randomly selected COVID19

vaccination centres in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The study utilized a self-structured questionnaire to gather sociodemographic
information
from
participants.
Their
apprehensions
and
concerns
were
assessed
using
a
5-point
Likert
scale

and
a
3-point
Likert
scale
was
used
to
evaluate
the
operational
barriers
faced
during
the
implementation
of
the
COVID-19

vaccination
program.
The
sample
size

was determined based on the findings of a pilot study, and ethical clearance was
obtained from the Institutional Human Ethics Committee. Results: The findings of the study revealed that a significant
proportion of healthcare workers expressed concerns and apprehensions regarding the COVID-19 vaccination program.
Among the participants, 312 (60.1%) expressed fear of contracting COVID-19 during vaccination, and 204 (39.3%)
voiced concerns about the lack of prior vaccination training. Almost half of respondents 259 (49.99%) feared the risk of
contracting the disease even after vaccination. Healthcare workers perceived political circumstances 244 (47%), evolving
science of the virus 272(52.4%), and community actions 222 (42.77%) as significant barriers to the vaccination program
implementation. Conclusion: The findings of this study highlight the concerns and operational barriers that healthcare
workers in Madhya Pradesh, India faced regarding the COVID-19 vaccination program. These concerns include fear of
contracting COVID-19 during the vaccination process, lack of training, and uncertainties regarding vaccine efficacy,
quality, and safety. These concerns and barriers can significantly impact the success of the vaccination program by
contributing to vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers and the general population. Significantly, the research
highlights the necessity of addressing healthcare workers’ specific apprehensions and concerns to improve vaccine
acceptance.