COVID‐19 vaccinations: The unknowns, challenges, and hopes
Kawthar Mohamed, Piotr Rzymski, Md Shahidul Islam, Rangarirai Makuku, Ayesha Mushtaq, Amjad Khan, Mariya Ivanovska, Sara A. Makka, Fareeda Hashem, Leander Penaso Marquez, Orsolya Cseprekál, Igor Salerno Filgueiras, Dennyson Leandro M. Fonseca, Mickael Essouma, Irene Ling, Amanuel Godana Arero, Sarah Cuschieri, Kseniia Mіnakova, Eduardo Rodríguez‐Román, Sunny O. Abarikwu, Attig‐Bahar Faten, Giulia Grancini, Otávio Cabral-Marques, Nima Rezaei
Abstract
The entire world has been suffering from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic since March 11, 2020. More than a year later, the COVID-19 vaccination brought hope to control this viral pandemic. Here, we review the unknowns of the COVID-19 vaccination, such as its longevity, asymptomatic spread, long-term side effects, and its efficacy on immunocompromised patients. In addition, we discuss challenges associated with the COVID-19 vaccination, such as the global access and distribution of vaccine doses, adherence to hygiene guidelines after vaccination, the emergence of novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants, and vaccine resistance. Despite all these challenges and the fact that the end of the COVID-19 pandemic is still unclear, vaccines have brought great hope for the world, with several reports indicating a significant decline in the risk of COVID19-related infection and hospitalizations.