A recent Afrobarometer shows most of the citizens say prayer would be more effective than a vaccine.
According to an Afrobarometer, a pan-African, nonpartisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life indicates "about seven in 10 citizens (69%) say prayer is more effective than a vaccine can be in preventing COVID-19 infection."
The findings also shows that majority of Gambians are not enthusiastic about taking the vaccine.
The survey states "only two in 10 (21%) say they are likely to get vaccinated if a vaccine becomes available and the government says it is safe."
The survey further showed the Gambian mindset on the Covid-19 and the vaccination as a whole now and in the near future as "only two in 10 citizens (22%) anticipate that the pandemic will be somewhat serious or very serious in The Gambia in the next six months."
The low number of covid cases was reflected in the report indicating that "two in 100 citizens (2%) say they or a member of their family became ill with COVID-19.
The pandemic without doubt has hit the economy as "four in 10 (42%) say they lost income because of the pandemic."
Meanwhile there is little praise for government in Covid-19 relief assistance.
"Eight in 10 Gambians (79%) say they or their households received government assistance during the pandemic."
"But a slight majority (53%) believe the benefits of government programs to support people during the COVID-19 pandemic were fairly distributed."
"A majority 61% say the enforcement of the lockdown was too strict."
The survey somewhat corroborates with the low turn-out in the number of people vaccinated.
Although the Gambia received 56,000 vaccine doses, less than 20,000 people have been vaccinated throughout the country.
President Adama Barrow received his first dose of the vaccine during the National Vaccination Program Launching and urged Gambians to take it saying it is safe, however many Gambians remain reluctant to take the vaccine.
