LAUSR

There are four ways to combat COVID-19. First, physical interventions including mask-wearing and social distancing but ultimately including lockdowns that carry huge social, psychological and economic costs. Second, vaccines, none of which at the time of writing (September 2020) are known to be effective and safe. Third, drugs active against COVID-19 but the only effective drugs, remdesivir and dexamethasone, are only used in life-threatening infections. Fourth, administration of convalescent sera, the efficacy and safety of which are being ascertained. The authors report that only 58% of those surveyed would be willing to be vaccinated, 16% were neutral and 26% were not planning to be vaccinated. A similar US study reported a 67% acceptance of a COVID-19 vaccine with noticeable demographic and geographical disparities in vaccine acceptance.1 It seems likely that the probable vaccine refusal rate will be about 25% and, if so, that it is possible that a vaccine alone may not be the solution unless measures are undertaken to counter vaccine refusal. Even if a vaccine were available by the end of the year, …