Vaccinating trans-persons

Doubts and fears still prevail among transgenders due to surgical process they had to undergo for their condition

Now people are getting themselves inoculated against Covid-19 in large numbers overcoming hesitancy about coronavirus vaccine, but doubts and fears still prevail among transgender people due to the surgical process they had to undergo for their condition, high prevalence of hepatitis C and other diseases that carry social stigma. They are avoiding going to vaccination centres for fear the vaccine might do them more harm than good and also because the general tendency in society is to ridicule them. Even those trans-persons who have received the first dose of the vaccine are in two minds about getting the second dose. Conspiracy theories with regard to vaccines and the pandemic being propagated on social media are fuelling fears and doubts in this regard. Trans-persons have been affected by this malicious propaganda more than others because of their difficult social circumstances.

Seen in the light of advice issued by UN organisations concerned with health issues, males, females and trans-persons equally run the risk of contracting Covid-19, this turns out to be an entirely baseless fear fuelled by widespread propaganda on social media. However, the situation shows that social media has greater outreach than the expert opinions of international and national health experts. The tendency among people, including trans-persons, is that they readily lap up what is publicised on social media platforms rather than paying heed to scientific advice. Moreover, trans-persons have to face another dilemma whether they should line up with males or females, even though the government has given them the right to choose their gender. There are many instances where they have been harshly treated or faced embarrassment at vaccination centres for standing in the wrong queue to wait for their turn.

It is, however, the failure of vaccination staff to inform people receiving the jab whether the vaccine produces side effects. This is one of the major causes of hesitancy and doubts. No one is being told if there are side effects, if any, of vaccines.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 12^th, 2021.

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