A Survey-Based Study of Public Awareness About COVID-19 Infection, Severity, Reinfection, Vaccine Acceptance, and Government Measures in Pakistan

Abstract

Background: This study aims to assess public views and awareness about COVID-19 infection, severity, reinfection, vaccine acceptance, and government measures in Pakistan. Methods: A survey-based study was conducted between August 2021 and August 2022. The study used a self-administered questionnaire designed and distributed online using Google Forms, multiple social media platforms, and phone calls to collect data from the target population. We collected 1426 responses from male and female participants. The study was conducted in major cities throughout Pakistan, including Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Islamabad, Sargodha, Abbottabad, Swat, Quetta, and Mardan. Results: Most respondents (76.8%) deemed COVID-19 a serious disease, while the other participants considered it either a non-severe condition or were unsure. In this survey, 78% of respondents believed in COVID-19 immunization, 14.4% were skeptical, and 7.6% did not believe in it. Most study population (91.1%) had been immunized against COVID-19, and 92.4% expressed a willingness to be immunized if the vaccine was readily available. However, the remainder were either unsure or refused to receive vaccinations. 19.9% of study participants were naturally infected with COVID-19, 12% were uncertain about their previous infection, and 68.1% were not infected. COVID-19 reinfection was reported by 10.2% of study participants. The second infection was deemed more severe by 15.9% of participants than the first. It was found that half of the surveyed population used natural and traditional methods to protect themselves from COVID-19 disease. Most respondents (73%) believed that the government should make vaccinations mandatory and that people should be forced to do so. During the COVID-19 outbreak, 55.4% of people were satisfied with government initiatives, while 19.4% were dissatisfied. Conclusions: The results of the present study conducted in major cities throughout Pakistan concluded that most people trusted the COVID-19 vaccine and showed high confidence and acceptance of vaccination. Additionally, most respondents were satisfied with the government's efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19.