A recent study has found that only 40% of Africans are pro-mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations.
As mandatory vaccinations are not completely off the cards for South Africa thanks to the extension of the state of disaster in our country, the study proves an interesting find for our greater continent.
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The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS one, came as the result of an online survey among Africans constituting 29 countries.
On top of a minority stance toward mandatory vaccination, the study further indicated that there was substantial vaccine hesitancy in Africa, which is not exclusive to Africa. Parts of Europe and the United States also indicate max vaccine hesitancy. As CNN notes, Romania and Bulgaria, despite having access to the vaccine have seen low vaccination rates because of hesitancy.
For those who were for vaccination,63% of participants in the Afro-centric study said they would receive vaccination as soon as possible, and 5% would receive vaccines after considering their safety among earlier vaccinated individuals.
Vaccine hesitancy
In terms of vaccine hesitancy, Dr Shameem Jaumdally, co-author and senior research scientist at the University of Cape Town’s Lung Institute, expressed that there was a link between risk perception and vaccine stances.
“We found that respondents’ risk perception was related to their attitude to COVID-19 vaccines. The odds of vaccine hesitancy was substantially low if participant’s perceived risk of infection or sickness was very high,” Jaumdally noted.
Jaumdally further said that vaccine hesitancy was more common among young people than older adults and in rural areas compared to urban ones. Jaumdally likens this to the burden COVID-19 weighing less on younger Africans.
Other findings
Additionally, the majority of respondents showed concern with vaccines to do with side effects.
In an effort to make vaccination campaigns more successful, respondents suggested the power of information campaigns to go hand in hand with vaccination campaigns.
Since respondents receive COVID-19 information from healthcare workers (51%), scientists (44%), news media (43%), and schools (41%); a look at multi-channel information campaigns may therefore be beneficial for optimal coverage, Jaumdally expressed.
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