Some of my family members have been reluctant to take the vaccine shots. They thought the Covid vaccine could cause serious side effects such as infertility or even paralysis.

But overall, Lahore’s elderly population has been quite forthcoming ever since the state rolled out vaccination plans. They obviously want to be safe; or else their children are eager to have them inoculated. The Expo Centre, which is the only vaccination facility in Lahore so far, is currently vaccinating the registered senior citizens.

Having said that, there’s a mixed response from those who’ve received the jabs — while some experienced no side effects whatsoever, others complained of drowsiness and fatigue which, they say, lasted a day or two after the first dose.

When Javed Iqbal, 60, a businessman who has suffered from Parkinson’s disease since he was 50, received the vaccine, he called it “a bit of a hassle.” :I had my apprehensions,” he says, “but I decided to go ahead [with it].” Over the stipulated 30 minutes of taking the jab, he experienced absolutely no side effect. He says he was overjoyed.

Broadcast journalist Ahmed Waleed, who received CanSino shots in December last year, as part of the vaccine trials at the University of Health Sciences (UHS), relates that the process was swift and smooth. He urges the government to launch an aggressive campaign to convince the masses of the benefits of the vaccine.

Nadeem Noor, a Lahori, says he received the vaccine “as soon as it became available at the Expo Centre.” He says he came out feeling slight dizziness, which however didn’t discourage him from getting the second shot. He has vowed to “surely get my parents vaccinated too.”

Overall, Lahore’s elderly population has been quite forthcoming ever since the state rolled out vaccination plans. They obviously want to be safe; or else their children are eager to have them inoculated.

Hafsa, who is a clinical psychologist, says she had “apprehensions about the extreme side effects [of the vaccine], but the environment at the Expo Centre helped ease my anxiety.” She was asked to fill a “consent form” and then get her vitals checked. She says that after taking the jab she stayed there for 15 minutes only and went back to work.

“I did experience a bit of sluggishness, though.”

So far, Pakistan has only received only the Sinopharm vaccine (as a donation), but the cabinet is reported to have approved the import of Russian vaccine Sputnik V, albeit by private sector. UK’s AstraZeneca is also expected to arrive sometime next month. All these vaccines carry mixed reviews, especially AstraZeneca which is rumoured to cause blood clotting in some patients. As a result, some countries have suspended the vaccine deals. It’s not yet clear if, as the makers (Oxford) claim, it is all hearsay.

Rumours and feedback from all sorts of sources may hinder mass inoculation. It may be a good idea to air first-hand accounts of those who got themselves vaccinated.

The need of the hour is that we all equip ourselves with the vaccine shots and obliterate Covid-19 from the face of this earth.

The writer is pursuing a degree in Mass Communication and Media Studies at the University of Central Punjab