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. 2021 May 21;9(6):543.
doi: 10.3390/vaccines9060543.

COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptability and Adherence to Preventive Measures in Somalia: Results of an Online Survey

Mohammed A M Ahmed  1   2 , Robert Colebunders  3 , Abdi A Gele  4 , Abdiqani A Farah  5 , Shariff Osman  1 , Ibraahim Abdullahi Guled  1   6 , Aweis Ahmed Moalim Abdullahi  1 , Ahmed Mohamud Hussein  1 , Abdiaziz Mohamed Ali  1   7 , Joseph Nelson Siewe Fodjo  3   8
Affiliations

COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptability and Adherence to Preventive Measures in Somalia: Results of an Online Survey

Mohammed A M Ahmed et al. Vaccines (Basel). .

Abstract

Most countries are currently gravitating towards vaccination as mainstay strategy to quell COVID-19 transmission. Between December 2020 and January 2021, we conducted a follow-up online survey in Somalia to monitor adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures, and COVID-19 vaccine acceptability and reasons for vaccine hesitancy. Adherence was measured via a composite adherence score based on four measures (physical distancing, face mask use, hand hygiene, and mouth covering when coughing/sneezing). We analyzed 4543 responses (mean age: 23.5 ± 6.4 years, 62.4% males). The mean adherence score during this survey was lower than the score during a similar survey in April 2020. A total of 76.8% of respondents were willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Flu-like symptoms were more frequently reported in the current survey compared to previous surveys. Multiple logistic regression showed that participants who experienced flu-like symptoms, those in the healthcare sector, and those with higher adherence scores had higher odds for vaccine acceptability while being a female reduced the willingness to be vaccinated. In conclusion, our data suggest that the decreasing adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures may have caused increased flu-like symptoms over time. COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Somalia is relatively high but could be improved by addressing factors that contribute to vaccine hesitancy.

Keywords: COVID-19; Somalia; adherence; preventive measures; vaccination hesitancy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
COVID-19 in Somalia Report Chart from March 2020 up to February 2021 [12].
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mean adherence scores and COVID-19 incidence during the last week of each survey period.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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