Attitude towards COVID-19 vaccine among the general public in south India: A cross sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is a novel infection that sets off a pandemic in a short period. Research has been going on to develop safe and effective vaccines and around 150 are in the process of development. In India, two vaccines have been given emergency approval. There has been a rise in hesitancy toward vaccination not only in India but also worldwide. Materials and Methodology: The study included 697 participants who were not vaccinated. The study questionnaire was administered through online Google Forms and included informed consent, sociodemographic details, questions related to COVID-19 infection and vaccine, and vaccine attitude examination (VAX) scale. Results: Among the 697 participants, 216 (31%) were not willing to get vaccinated. Those with prevailing mental (P = 0.011) or physical health (P < 0.001) problems were of negative opinion toward vaccination because of unforeseen complications. Participants with lower education (P = 0.041), skilled to semi-skilled job (P = 0.028), and joint family (P = 0.006) opined that vaccination was more of commercial profiteering for manufacturing companies. Participants who were married (P = 0.010) and living in a joint family (P = 0.009) setting were more inclined toward a preference for natural immunity. Conclusion: The study highlights that 69% of participants were willing to take the COVID-19 vaccine. Various measures can be taken by different stakeholders to improve the positive attitude. As medical professions, we can improve the positive attitude by actively taking the vaccine and educating the local people about the benefits.