People were hesitant rather than opposed to the COVID-19 vaccine

Press release issued: 11 May 2022

A study that explored the attitudes of vaccine hesitant adults in the UK towards uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine found that participants were hesitant rather than opposed to the vaccine. They had questions about their need for, and the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. Concerns were exacerbated by a lack of trust in government and misunderstanding of science, the University of Bristol-led study found.

Researchers interviewed 35 people aged between 18 and 29 who had not had the vaccine, and 35 people aged between 30 and 49 who had not had the second dose of the vaccine after 12 weeks, to understand what the barriers to vaccination were and what facilitated uptake.

Although hesitant about receiving a first or second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, the majority of participants did not consider themselves to be anti-vaccine, and were usually able to recognise the possible benefits of being vaccinated for themselves and those around them.

Younger people did not consider themselves to be at risk of becoming ill from COVID-19, did not think the vaccination was effective in preventing transmission, and did not think sufficient research had been done regarding possible long-term side-effects.

Read the full University of Bristol press release

Exploration of attitudes regarding uptake of COVID‑19 vaccines among vaccine hesitant adults in the UK: a qualitative analysis' by Sarah Denford, Fiona Mowbray, Lauren Towler, Helena Wehling, Gemma Lasseter, Richard Amlôt, Isabel Oliver, Lucy Yardley and Matthew Hickman. BMC Infectious Diseases [open access].