The dilemma of COVID-19 vaccination among Health Care Workers (HCWs) of Uttar Pradesh

Background: Immediately after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, with an unprecedented cooperation between biomedical, pharmaceutical, technological, and political sectors, new vaccines were developed and approved in record times. However, doubts were raised on their efficacy and adverse effects. Globally, it was agreed that the first recipients for vaccines would be the health care workers (HCWs). Logically, it was bound to raise some concerns and result in hesitancy among the HCWs. Aims: The current study was planned to study the proportion of HCWs having hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccination and factors effecting it. Settings and Design: Cross-sectional study conducted among HCWs of Uttar Pradesh. Methods and Material: The survey was conducted both in online and offline mode and attempted by 254 HCWs eligible for receiving COVID-19 vaccine. Statistical analysis used: T-test, chi-square test, proportion, mean, SD Results: Vaccine hesitancy was present in 35.8% HCWs. Only social factors like caste (p=0.023) and religion (p