Near East University Experimental Health Sciences Research Center (DESAM) and Faculty of Medicine researchers carried out a survey to determine the opinions of those living in the TRNC about the vaccines developed against the new type of coronavirus. 46 percent of the respondents said that they wanted to get the COVID-19 vaccine. While 25 percent of the participants are undecided to get vaccinated, 29 percent of them do not want to be vaccinated. DESAM Research Institute Director Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ said that the results show that the society should be informed about COVID-19 vaccines regardless of the level of education.

According to the results of the research carried out by DESAM Research Institute researchers and Faculty of Medicine faculty members Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ, Prof. Dr. İlker Etikan and Assist. Prof. Dr. Ayşe Arıkan Sarıoğlu, 87 percent of those who participated in the research worry that they or one of their family will be infected by COVID-19. 44 percent of the participants believe that COVID-19 vaccines may have serious side effects that can affect human health.

Within the scope of the survey conducted with 362 participants in the TRNC which has a population over 374 thousand, the level of knowledge of the participants on vaccines were investigated and the reasons of those who did not want to have the COVID-19 vaccine and their opinions regarding the reliability of the vaccines were also examined.

85 percent found to be worried about possible side effects...
According to the results of the survey, among the reasons of those who do not want to be vaccinated, the highest rate (85 percent) comes from the concerns about side effects. 10 percent of the participants do not believe that the vaccine will be effective. 3 percent is against vaccination in general. On the other hand, 2 percent of them do not want to be vaccinated as a result of their negative experiences in the past.

Information should be given on the dose to be administered
While 60 percent of the respondents stated that they knew that the vaccines should be taken in two doses, the results also revealed that 30 percent had no idea. 10 percent of them have wrong information about the dose to be applied. According to the results of the survey, 22 percent of respondents believe that the pandemic can disappear by itself without vaccination. While 43 percent are undecided about the necessity of the vaccine, 35 percent think that the vaccine is necessary.

People do not have sufficient knowledge about vaccine safety ...
According to the results of the study, 87 percent of the participants are university graduates, 45 percent of the participants do not have enough information about vaccines and their safety. 57 percent of the participants think that only service workers (hairdressers, barbers, supermarket staff, restaurant staff, delivery staff, etc.) should be vaccinated. The results reveal the need to explain the benefits of the vaccine to all levels of education.

Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ: "We must definitely be vaccinated..."
Near East University DESAM Research Institute Director Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ says, "We must definitely be vaccinated in order to control the pandemic. Stating that there is no harm in making vaccines with proven safety and efficiency, Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ pointed out that vaccination of everyone will be the best approach to prevent the disease. Stating that vaccination of the society is important for health in accordance with the risk ranking, Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ emphasized that the vaccine has an effective role in overcoming the disease and gaining public immunity. Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ added that the social distance and mask applications carried out to protect against the virus after vaccination should continue with the same sensitivity.