Tanju Devi is a member of the Tharu tribe and she lives in a forested area in West Champaran along the Indo-Nepal border. She comes from a community which has had to face a long history of abuse, neglect, and degradation at the hands of other communities. Having witnessed injustice at such close quarters all her life, she worked hard…

Tanju Devi

Vaccine hesitancy in rural areas of India is rampant, thanks to unverified videos and forwards on social media. People are scared that taking the COVID-19 vaccine leads to death.

Several people that our Community Correspondent Tanju Devi spoke to in a West Champaran community said they won't take the vaccine. "No, I don't need the vaccine. I am naturally fit," said one of the women Tanju spoke to.

However, there are others who have taken both the doses of the vaccine and are happy about it. "There are no side effects that I experienced after the shots," says Sunaina Devi from the same village.

The government needs to start awareness campaigns reaching deep into the rural pockets of India and address the people's concerns about COVID-19 vaccination.