A smartphone-based platform to send reminders or offering a gift card at the time of administering the first dose may help to guarantee that people do not miss the second dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, experts have said. The vaccine is of a two-dose shot, thus there is a possibility that some people may not take the second dose amid an aggressive disinformation campaign against vaccination.
Mark Fendrick from the University of Michigan in the US said, "There are several factors and behaviours that prevent many well-intentioned people from completing a two-step process, like that recommended for the Covid-19 vaccines.”
Fendrick said necessary things should be provided to support those who receive the first shot to make sure they take their second vaccine dose.
This lack of completion has been well established for other two-dose vaccines, like those that prevent less contagious and less-lethal conditions, such as shingles, human papillomavirus (HPV), and hepatitis B.
The University of Michigan primary care physician and researcher said that vaccines that require more than one dose create additional behavioural and environmental challenges, including reports of side effects, false claims regarding vaccine safety, logistical barriers, and the politicisation of the programme, that may deter people from getting vaccinated or returning for their second dose.
During the patient's first vaccine dose, Health providers can distribute a card to educate them about the vaccine and to encourage the pre-scheduling of second dose appointments. A smartphone-based vaccine adherence support programme can also be added to optimise vaccine understanding.
"Smartphone apps and wearables already succeed in getting people to take their medicine, check their blood pressure or blood sugar, or even measure their heart rhythm," Fendrick said.
Fendrick said a quick call or email from someone at a trusted source, customised messaging, small financial rewards like a $50 gift card could also increase vaccine uptake.
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The US on Monday, began a mass vaccination campaign against the deadly coronavirus pandemic as health workers rolled up their sleeves to get their first shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine which requires two doses of vaccine to be administered 21 days apart.