Nino Mirzikashvili, Associate Professor at Ilia State University declares, if 60-70% of the population will not get their first jabs until late 2021, we cannot talk about the finish of the pandemic. According to Mirzikashvili, NDI polls reveal that 41% of the population refuse to get COVID jabs and the most important thing is to change their mind on COVID-vaccine.
"In June, when the NDI conducted a survey, 45% of respondents refused to be vaccinated. In January, the figure was 41%. It is good information that the percentage (of opponents of vaccination) is being reduced, but in order to reduce this percentage dramatically, a very active information campaign is needed,” said Nino Mirzikashvili.
As the professor says, the national vaccination strategy describes all the stages and steps very well, but the second issue is the successful implementation of all the components of this plan.
"It is very important to implement this plan successfully, otherwise we will not end the pandemic. The role of everyone is very big - the civil sector, the government, the media, to actively work with citizens in order to vaccinate the population. Because there should be a moment when we have a vaccine, but there is no demand among the population, so the information campaign is very important," - said Nino Mirzikashvili.
