Chapters authored
Maximizing COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance in Developing Countries
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still in existence, with the capacity to spread even further. Vaccination could efficiently reduce the burden of the pandemic, but first, people must accept these vaccines. Vaccine acceptance by the population is crucial to control the pandemic and prevent further deaths. Herd Immunity, which is the indirect protection that occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population has become immune to an infection, offers some protection to unvaccinated individuals. However, herd immunity is compromised when widespread vaccine acceptance is not achieved. Some vaccines have been authorized to prevent COVID-19, such as Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson\'s Janssen, and Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine. While vaccine development has been achieved within a short time, its safety, potency, efficacy, and universal accessibility are of great concern and could influence vaccine acceptance. Conspiracy beliefs rampant in Africa may influence vaccine hesitance; exposure to anti-vaccine theories decreases willingness to accept vaccination. As such, there is a need for the availability of reliable information about vaccines, messages that highlight the vaccines efficacy and safety could be effective for addressing the hesitancy to increase the acceptance level of the COVID-19 Vaccine in Africa.
Part of the book: Vaccine Development
Mental Health Impact of Post-Infection Fatigue
Post-infective fatigue is a major long-lasting complication of COVID-19. Among long COVID-19 survivors, the persistent fatigues experienced have had a significant impact on their physical health and mental health. Post-infective fatigue has been described as a loss of energy and a feeling of heaviness. Likewise, more evidence has highlighted the mental health component of fatigue triggered by subjectively minor physical and cognitive activities. These bouts of fatigue are commonly associated with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. Ultimately, these mental health problems affect the quality of life of survivors. Although necessary public health efforts were directed at controlling the spread of COVID-19 and treating physical symptoms, it is crucial to backtrack, to develop inclusive mental health services for individuals plagued by post-COVID-19 fatigue.
Part of the book: COVID-19 Pandemic, Mental Health and Neuroscience