People who are not vaccinated
Epidemiological data indicate that a large proportion of the population needs to be vaccinated in order to achieve herd immunity. Therefore, it is very important for public health authorities to know if people will be vaccinated against COVID-19, and therefore this study was conducted to determine the willingness of adult residents of Greece to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
From April 28, 2020 to May 3, 2020 (the last week of the lockdown).
A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the general adult population of Greece using computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI), a mixed-methods approach to data collection, and computer-assisted web. Using a sample size calculator, we found that the target sample size was approximately 1000 respondents, so we recruited participants using a proportional sampling procedure stratified by region to ensure a nationally representative sample of the urban/rural population according to the 2011 Greek census. Participants were recruited using a proportional sampling procedure stratified by region.
Data collection was guided through a structured questionnaire, in which participants were asked to answer the following questions regarding their willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19: "What is the availability of new coronaviruses?
"If there was a vaccine available for a new coronavirus, would you be willing to be vaccinated?
As a result.
Of the 1004 respondents, 57.7% stated that they would be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Respondents who were 65 years of age or older, who belonged to a group that had health concerns for themselves or a family member, who believed that the COVID-19 virus was not developed in a laboratory by humans, who believed that coronaviruses are much more contagious and deadly, who were infected with the H1N1 virus, and who believed that the next wave was coming, were found to be statistically significantly more likely to be willing to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Higher knowledge scores about symptoms, transmission routes, prevention and control measures against COVID-19 were significantly associated with higher willingness of respondents to be vaccinated.
In conclusion, it was found that people who have "correct knowledge" about the COVID-19 virus and know how to control, prevent and manage it are more likely to be vaccinated.
Kourlaba, G., Kourkouni, E., Maistreli, S. et al. Willingness of the Greek general population to get a COVID-19 vaccine. glob health res policy 6, 3 (2021). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s41256-021-00188-1
Summary
This pandemic has affected many people in different countries in one way or another. With regard to vaccination, which includes the goal of acquiring herd immunity, each person's will to receive or not receive vaccination is different.
In this study, those who had proper knowledge of viruses and vaccines tended to say they would be vaccinated, while those who had conspiracy theories, lack of knowledge of viruses and vaccines, and distrust tended to avoid it.
The study found that when people are resistant to vaccination, they are more likely to be resistant to "new" vaccines and more likely to be comfortable with familiar vaccines.People with families, chronic illnesses, or elderly people living with them were more willing to get vaccinated, but people who were prone to believing "false" information on SNS or the Internet, or people who refused to get vaccinated because of their personal beliefs.
My personal opinion is that vaccination is an opportunity to acquire antibodies from an immunological point of view, and is an appropriate way to acquire herd immunity. Even if an individual is infected and then recovers and acquires antibodies, vaccination is more efficient. Of course, there are risks as well as benefits, and it is inevitable that people who feel the risks are too great and the benefits are too small will refuse to be vaccinated.
However, one question I have is why do they refuse COVID-19 when they have already received the existing vaccinations? That's the question. In Japan, vaccination is mandatory, depending on the time of birth, so many people have had the experience of being vaccinated as children. I wonder what it is that makes people reject the new ones when they have had such experiences, whether it is a lack of understanding of the new ones or being influenced by what people around them think is sluggish.
Some people may say that they couldn't refuse because they were children, but if the fact is that they were vaccinated, then they are just changing the subject. How about learning what vaccination is again with proper knowledge?If people don't want to be vaccinated, it will just go to those who want to be vaccinated, so no one will be bothered.
One concern I have is that if people don't vaccinate based on false knowledge and are rejected by society, that too will cause harm due to distorted perceptions. I wonder if the media should give "proper" coverage to vaccination in such a situation.
