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. 2021 Dec 15;18(24):13244.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph182413244.

COVID-19 Vaccine Early Skepticism, Misinformation and Informational Needs among Essential Workers in the USA

Elena Savoia  1   2 , Maxwell Su  1   2 , Rachael Piltch-Loeb  1   2 , Evelyn Masterson  2 , Marcia A Testa  1   2
Affiliations

COVID-19 Vaccine Early Skepticism, Misinformation and Informational Needs among Essential Workers in the USA

Elena Savoia et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

This study presents the results of a survey of 1591 hesitant U.S. essential workers, conducted over Pollfish in December 2020 when they were the only group eligible for the vaccine, aiming to describe their concerns regarding COVID-19 vaccine safety, effectiveness and distribution policies. We computed frequencies using the SAS software for each answer, using chi-squared statistics and Cochran-Armitage trend tests to determine how informational needs differ by age, gender, level of education, race, source of COVID-19 information and levels of vaccine acceptance. The results of this study show that freedom of choice, equal access to the vaccine and being able to live a life with no restrictions once vaccinated were important concerns since the early days of the distribution campaign, with 53% (836/1591), 42% (669/1591) and 35% (559/1591) of hesitant respondents, respectively, indicating they would be more likely to receive the COVID-19 vaccine if they felt these issues were satisfactorily addressed. Early risk communication and immunization campaign strategies should address not only the reported efficacy and safety of new vaccines, but, as equally important, the population's perceptions and beliefs regarding personal choice, effectiveness and adverse consequences.

Keywords: COVID-19; misinformation; vaccine acceptance.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
What would be important for you to know to make you more likely to take the COVID-19 vaccine?
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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