Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) study on COVID-19 vaccination in Bangladesh

Abstract

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), an infectious respiratory disease caused by the viral strain, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a distinct cause of the global burden and a rising concern to global public health. Despite earliest cases dating back to mid november of 2019, COVID-19 cases were first confirmed on the 8th of march in Bangladesh. While initial treatments followed generalized drug use based on treating symptoms or antibody-based therapies, the need for vaccines remained to be of significant importance. With the need for vaccines to get the world back on track, scientists through their extensive study and research developed vaccines at the earliest i.e. within a year (2020). Similarly, Bangladesh adapted and began immediate administration of COVID-19 vaccines on 27 January 2021, while mass vaccination started on 7 February 2021. However, the fast production and distribution of vaccines has raised questions and possible suspicions. This along with several other factors such as knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of the Bangladeshi population had contributed to an overall decreased rate of vaccinations. Therefore, in our study, we evaluate these correlating factors of KAP with COVID-19 Vaccination to understand how knowledge, attitude and practice, may have possibly contributed to this reduced rate and consequently, in the spike or as a trigger for the second wave.