There has been hesitancy from many people in the Islamic community as to whether they should have the Covid-19 vaccination. Various facilities have been introduced to encourage Muslims to have their vaccination, including pop-up vaccination centres in mosques, out of hours’ clinics and women only clinics. Senior Muslim NHS workers and religious leaders have also addressed concerns around the religious aspect of the vaccine. They have also encouraged Muslims to have their vaccine in the spirit of Ramadan, as this is a time where Muslims aim to do good and help the community.
Community responsibility
Everyone must do their part to solve public health issues, such as Covid-19. However, there are always members of any society that may not have access to all the information and resources. They may not understand exactly why they should get a vaccination, and may not have people to inform them. They may not have access to the TV or internet to hear the news, or they may have heard the news but might not trust it. Community and religious leaders are able to fill this gap and reach these groups in innovative ways. Do you think it is their responsibility to do this, or do you think it is solely the responsibility of the government and healthcare professionals to reach these groups? What are the benefits of having religious and community leaders involved in vaccination initiatives?
Misinformation
It is very important for people to give informed consent with anything they are agreeing for, including getting the vaccine. Therefore, experts need to make sure that everyone is informed correctly about what the vaccine is and what it entails, including how it will be given and its side effects. However, there is a lot of misinformation and conspiracies circulating that leads to vaccine hesitancy. How can we reduce the amount of misinformation in the media? What is currently being done to reduce this? Is there a role for community leaders to tackle this problem?
- How do the principles of informed consent and patient autonomy relate to the Covid-19 vaccination?
- What role does the community have in improving healthcare?
Have a think about what mosques, churches, synagogues, temples etc., can do to improve public health. - As a GP, a patient has come to you regarding his worries around the COVID-19 vaccine. He has heard a lot of news around the Government using it to keep tabs on citizens and he isn't sure what to believe. How would you reduce his anxiety and help him feel more relaxed about getting his dose?