Converting the maybes: Crucial for a successful COVID-19 vaccination strategy.
Katie Attwell, Joshua Lake, Joanne Sneddon, Paul Gerrans, Chris Blyth, Julie Lee
Author Information
Katie Attwell: School of Social Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. ORCID
Joshua Lake: Centre for Human and Cultural Values, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Joanne Sneddon: Centre for Human and Cultural Values, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Paul Gerrans: Centre for Human and Cultural Values, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Chris Blyth: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute and School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Julie Lee: Centre for Human and Cultural Values, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. ORCID
BACKGROUND: Broad community acceptance of a COVID-19 vaccination will be critical for effectively halting the spread of the virus. In this study, we focus on factors that differentiate those who are undecided from those who are either willing or unwilling to accept a prospective COVID-19 vaccine. METHODS: An online survey in May 2020 assessed Australian adults' willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine (yes, maybe, no). A multinomial logistical regression of responses (N = 1,313) was used to identify correlates of vaccine willingness between the three groups. RESULTS: 65% were willing to vaccinate, with 27% being in the 'maybe' category. Respondents were more likely to be in the 'maybe' than the 'yes' group when they perceived COVID-19 to be less severe, had less trust in science, were less willing to vaccinate for influenza, and were female. They were more likely to be in the 'maybe' than 'no' group when they perceived COVID-19 as severe, and less likely to be a hoax, had more trust in science, and greater willingness to vaccinate for influenza. A repeat of the survey in November 2020 with a subset of participants found fewer of them saying yes to the vaccine (56%) and more saying maybe (31%). CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of any COVID-19 vaccine rollout will be reliant on maximizing uptake. The significant number of people who remain undecided about whether or not to get a COVID-19 vaccine, despite the ongoing devastating consequences of the virus for individuals, communities, and economies, is concerning. Our findings aid current research seeking to inform policy regarding how to convince the undecided to vaccinate.
