With one of the world’s largest vaccination drives underway, a large portion of the country’s population is still undecided about the efficacy or even the need for the Covid-19 vaccine. Worryingly, a sizeable section is vehemently opposed to taking the vaccine, choosing instead to resort to home-made remedies to ward off (or recover) from the virus.

Psychiatrist Dr Naazneen Ladak believes that this distrust stems from rumours being circulated on social media about the possible side-effects. “Many people are concerned about the rapid rate at which the vaccines have been developed, with trials being fast-tracked. WhatsApp, in particular, is rife with rumours about how, despite taking the vaccine, people have still contracted the virus. Most of this information is hearsay, and isn’t based on actual research,” she explains. She points out that conflicting opinions about the vaccine, especially in families with young children and senior citizens, can be a bone of contention. “Now, it’s no longer a matter of your choices affecting your own health; it’s also a question of the wellbeing of those with compromised immune systems, and of public health, at large,” she adds.