By Yumiko Perera
In the grip of the third wave of the pandemic, vaccination has proven to be the key to curbing the spread of infection amongst people and also in making sure no more lives are claimed by the coronavirus. However, public awareness of vaccination drives, unfortunately, doesn’t seem to be up to the mark, further solidifying the need to make certain changes in the process.
The Sunday Morning reached out to several individuals to understand their perspective on the situation and their insights into how public awareness on the matter can be improved.
Poor communication in grassroots level
Deepal Perera, 57, manager
I am aware of the different types of Covid-19 vaccines being administered to the people of the country, especially the vaccination programmes in my area. However, there seems to be a very poor communication channel between the public and the officials.
There are plenty of advertisements and information available on television and other media portals; however, when it comes to the grassroots level, something is lacking in communication and the process in itself.
Need more awareness
Kaushalya Wickramanayake, 27, Attorney-at-Law
The vaccination process still hasn’t begun in Kandy, although it had been informed in the news that people in Kandy would be vaccinated from 28 May onwards.
The public requires more information on the matter, especially given how people seem to gather paying heed to the health guidelines provided by the authorities.
There have been reports of certain instances where people had to return home without getting the vaccine, and I feel it is necessary for the Government to take steps to regulate the programme.
The amount of awareness the public has about the vaccination programme can be improved through television programmes and also via social media and newspapers.
Need a systematic process
Rashali De Mel, 24, quality engineer
I am aware of the different types of Covid-19 vaccines being administered. I am also aware of the vaccination drives in my area up to a certain extent. I feel the authorities need to raise more awareness on the topic if they are to make the vaccination drives more successful, and in order to do that, more dialogue on the vaccination process is needed.
The vaccination programmes should be well planned and people should be aware of the dos and don’ts before and after the vaccine, especially when it comes to the impact and effectiveness of the vaccine. I also think people should be administered the vaccine through a systematic process, and not expose them unnecessarily in public, given the current situation.
Awareness alone is insufficient
Harin Fernando, 20, student
If I were to rate how aware I was of the vaccination drive and programmes in my area, on a scale of one to 10, I would say two. I am not fully aware of the vaccination drive, apart from what I read in newspapers and get to know from word of mouth.
There needs to be more awareness and information given out to the general public to make the vaccination drive more successful. If the authorities are to reopen the country to ensure economic stability, they need to try and start rolling out vaccines to the workforce, which comprises a younger age group.
The most important thing the authorities need to consider, however, is management and supervision. Segregation according to demographics was done to save the lives of those who were more susceptible, but if the vaccine is given to every Tom, Dick, and Harry who has connections within the council or health authorities, then the whole purpose is lost. I believe that awareness alone is insufficient and that proper regulations need to be in place to tackle this virus.
Should prioritise getting as many vaccinated
Shenal Rupasinghe, 26, software engineer
I am aware of the different types of vaccinations that are being administered to the public in Sri Lanka; however, it’s disheartening to see the lack of information available to the general public, especially when it comes to things like the efficacy, possible side-effects of the vaccine, etc.
People only know what little is being said on the news and other media platforms, and the information you find on social media is not reliable. I believe there needs to be more effort on the part of the authorities when it comes to educating the public.
There also seems to be a lot of discrepancies in the vaccination process itself, and I firmly believe the authorities need to have a better game plan to go about this. First and foremost, the priority must be to get as many people vaccinated as possible. Although I understand that procuring the vaccine is a struggle, the authorities must focus on the most vulnerable parts of society if we are to overcome this.
Very little info on second jab
Ruwendra Fernando, 35, teacher
I am aware of the different types of vaccines that are being administered to the people of the country. Social media has a vast variety of information available in this regard.
However, the general public needs to be made more aware of this topic, especially when it comes to the second jab. A lot of people are awaiting the second jab and there is very little information made available to the public in that regard.
Need better communication mechanism
Shania Dias, 19, student
I was aware that the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine was given out to the people in the Gampaha area in March, as this message had been conveyed on the news. However, now there is limited and unclear information as to how and which vaccines are being administered to the public.
I did not know about the vaccination drive in my area until my friends who reside in the city got to know about it. I was aware of the vaccination drive across the country as a whole via news.
The vaccination programme could be improved if the Government provided accurate and clear information to the public. They can also opt for an SMS service which would give people a stipulated time to come and get vaccinated – that way, there would be fewer crowds and a lesser chance of contracting and/or spreading the virus. There needs to be a better communication mechanism between the authorities and the general public, which seems to be the need of the hour.
More assurance necessary
Keerthana Krishnakumar, 20, student
Not quite aware of the vaccination drive and programmes in my area. The general public requires more knowledge and awareness on the authorities’ part to make the vaccination drive more effective.
The public needs to be more educated on the vaccination process and the vaccinations and a little more assurance as to why vaccination is necessary at this juncture.
The authorities should handle the situation of the country more responsibly. The institutions that deliver the vaccines must be reliable and competent. Authorities also need to focus on raising more awareness campaigns about vaccines, and this could be done through awareness campaigns.
Must bust myths and false info
Madara Weerasekara, 29, planning executive
I am not entirely aware of the vaccination drives that are taking place, but I am aware of the different types of vaccines that are being administered. That being said, the general public needs to be informed about the vaccination drive even more so right now, given the current circumstances.
I believe the most effective way to convey this information would be through the use of social media, but the authorities also need to be mindful to eliminate myths and false information regarding the vaccination process, as it could hinder the vaccination programmes.
Myths and false reports circulating
Mario Wellalage, 20, undergraduate
Quite recently, the authorities had a vaccination programme where the residents in my area were vaccinated with the Sinopharm vaccine, so I am aware of the vaccination drive in my area.
Most people have come to believe certain myths or false reports regarding the side effects of being vaccinated. This is one of the main reasons that people are reluctant to get vaccinated. This is why I feel the general public requires more knowledge and information to make the vaccination programmes more successful.
Promoted social media posts from reputed sources on Twitter, Instagram, etc. can be used to spread more awareness on the matter, and constant social media posts and dialogue about “myth busters” would help people to differentiate the facts from the rest.
Many are confined to their homes, given the current circumstances, and the television could be used to communicate this information to the public.
PHOTO KRISHAN KARIYAWASAM