Building confidence in COVID-19 vaccine rollout: the importance of responsible presentation and follow-on investigation of Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) reports for elderly patients

Abstract

Given the extreme need for vaccines to flatten the curve of COVID-19 cases and deaths worldwide, many researchers, some governments and donor agencies have initiated a good number of vaccine development projects. COVID-19 vaccines have been approved for use in mass population immunization programmes in a much shorter time than is usual for new pharmaceuticals. This does not indicate cut corners or skipped safety trials, however. It is vitally important to explain the why and how of expedited vaccine development to a potentially sceptical public in order to head-off potential issues with vaccine hesitancy. This is particularly important in the case of elderly patients with comorbidities, as such people may be under-represented in clinical trials, raising concerns over whether or not the vaccine is safe for them. In particular, care needs to be taken regarding media reporting of deaths that occur in the weeks following vaccination of the very elderly and frail. Coincidental deaths amongst such demographics can be misunderstood and misreported as vaccine-related: it is important for medical sources to rule out such links and for public health communication to ensure that this knowledge is incorporated into programmes to help build vaccine confidence. Detailed planning for vaccination roll-out to this group is necessary to ensure the safety of those most at risk.