Acceptance and Hesitancy Toward the Covid-19 Vaccine Among Medical Students in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Introduction: Vaccine hesitancy is defined as "delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccination despite the availability of vaccination services". The low acceptance rate of covid-19 vaccination, reported in many countries, is a big challenge in efforts toward putting end to the pandemic. Objective: In this study, we aim to find the acceptance and hesitancy rates toward Covid-19 vaccine along with its reasons among medical students in Kabul. Methodology: In this cross-sectional study that was conducted among medical students of five randomly selected universities in Kabul, a total of 459 medical students completed the questionnaire. Results: The hesitancy rate for covid-19 vaccine among medical students was 42.3%, hesitancy rate in males was more than in female students. The essential reason for refusing of the vaccine was concerns about safety and adverse effect of the vaccine (62.3%). More than half of the participants (51.5%) have already been vaccinated. In 60.2% of participants, protection against the COVID-19 virus was the main reason for accepting the vaccine. This study indicates that social media was the leading source (64.3%) of information about vaccine hesitancy. Conclusion: This study indicates a high level of hesitancy toward the COVID-19 vaccine among medical students. It is strongly advised to deliver accurate information on the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines to the community especially, medical students.

Adverse Effects of the COVID-19 Vaccine Reported by Lecturers and Staff of Kabul University of Medical Sciences, Kabul, Afghanistan.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the occurrence, extent, and severity of adverse reactions associated with the vaccine of COVID-19 (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine or AstraZeneca) among Kabul University of Medical Sciences staff. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective observational, interview-based study was conducted from 4 to 20 April, 2021, to evaluate the adverse reactions associated with the vaccine of COVID-19 (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine or AstraZeneca) among the staff and lecturers of the Kabul University of Medical Sciences, Kabul, Afghanistan. Participants were interviewed following the administration of the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccines. They were asked to report any adverse reactions that occurred within 8-10 days after vaccination. The frequency, duration, severity, and outcome of the reactions were recorded. Association of the adverse reactions was analysed with the ages of participants and previous infection with SARS CoV-2. RESULTS: The most common adverse reactions reported by the participants were muscle pain (68.3%), local pain (58.8%) at the site of injection (68.3%), fever (66.3%) and fatigue (66.3%). Almost half of the respondents reported chills, joint pain and headache after receiving the first shot of the vaccine. The frequency of adverse reactions was higher in participants aged 40 years or less, and in those previously infected with SARS CoV-2. The severity of most adverse reactions was mild to moderate. No serious case or death was reported. CONCLUSION: The adverse reactions reported by the participants were mild to moderate in severity, and for a short duration. The findings of this study help us to address the vaccine hesitancy caused by worries about severe adverse effects associated with the COVID-19 vaccine.

Prevalence of Symptoms of Anxiety Among Residents of Kabul During Pandemic of COVID-19: A Report from Capital of Afghanistan.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety among residents of Kabul during the present COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional, community based survey was conducted in Kabul, Afghanistan, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from July 11, 2020, to July 16, 2020. A bilingual (Dari and English) questionnaire was used for data collection. The first section of the questionnaire collected sociodemographic information of the respondents and the second comprised a self-report standardized scale, i.e. Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) to assess symptoms of anxiety. The survey form was distributed through online platforms. All residents of Kabul who used social apps such as WhatsApp and Facebook were eligible to participate in the study and participation was voluntary and non-commercial. RESULTS: Altogether 1135 complete responses were received. The majority of them were males and aged 18-34 years. Almost 18% were healthcare workers. Overall, 28.2% of the respondents reported symptoms of moderate to severe anxiety, 38.8% reported symptoms of mild anxiety, and nearly one third of the respondents reported no symptoms. Female participants reported significantly higher levels of anxiety compared with males (39.7% versus 25.6%; p = 0.0001). No significant association was noted between anxiety levels and age groups, occupations, and healthcare workers versus non-healthcare workers. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that a gender-specific psychosocial protocol needs be integrated into the public health emergency plans to fight against the current pandemic.