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Growing resistance
Study shows growing hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccine .
By Wade Zaglas
New analysis from the Australian National University shows resistance and hesitancy towards a COVID-19 vaccination is growing in Australia .
The study is based on a longitudinal survey of 3,500 Australians that tracked individuals ’ responses prior to the pandemic taking place , and is the only survey that “ doesn ’ t rely solely on people volunteering to participate ”.
Recognised as the most “ robust survey data available ” regarding individuals ’ inclination to get vaccinated , analysis of the findings shows there is a “ large decline in the number of people who are likely to take a vaccine once it becomes available ”.
Findings were based on Australians ’ attitudes towards COVID-19 , as well as their experiences , and coincides with the country ’ s roll-out of the highly effective Pfizer vaccine .
The study found that , in January 2021 , one-in-five of the survey participants ( 21.7 per cent ) said “ they probably or definitely will not get a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine once health officials notify the public that one is available ”.
“ This is a large and significant increase from the 12.7 per cent of Australians who said the same thing in August 2020 when vaccines were still being developed and trialled ,” co-author of the study Professor Nicholas Biddle said .
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“ We also found more than three-in-10 Australians , some 31.9 per cent , became less willing to get a vaccine between August 2020 and January 2021 .
“ In contrast , less than one-in-10 Australians , 9.9 per cent , became more willing to get vaccinated .”
Over the course of the survey , the study found there was a substantial drop ( 19.7 per cent ) in the number of Australians who went from ‘ definitely willing ’ to receive a COVID-19 vaccine to ‘ probably willing ’.
Groups who became less willing to be vaccinated included females , Indigenous Australians , individuals who did not complete Year 12 , and individuals who speak a language other than English at home .
“ These population groups are arguably the most urgent focus of any public health campaigns to improve willingness ,” Biddle said .
“ This is because they have low willingness to start with , but also because there is the potential opportunity to bring their willingness back to what it was in August 2020 when there was a smaller gap with the rest of the Australian population .
“ There is a real need to consider a significantly enhanced public health campaign in languages other than English .
“ There is also a need to convey information to the general public in a way that is informative , reassuring and salient for those without a degree .
“ We have been tracking Australians ’ attitudes to getting a vaccine for months now , giving us powerful insights into what potential uptake will be like .”
“ A vaccine and its successful delivery across our society is absolutely crucial to Australia ’ s COVID recovery .
Biddle is concerned that more Australians have “ cooled ” on the idea of getting a vaccine , and the challenge is to quickly work out why this ‘ cooling ’ has occurred and address it .
This latest ANU study also includes qualitative data , providing rich insights into why some Australians won ’ t take the vaccine or are unlikely to do so . For instance , there are the COVID-19 doubters , who believe the pandemic is akin to fake news ; individuals who express low confidence in hospitals ; and individuals who do not perceive the next 12 months will be optimistic .
“ Clearly our leaders , policymakers and health experts need to work out why more Australians are unlikely to get a vaccine , particularly as it is about to be administered across the country ,” Biddle added .
“ While not a magic bullet , a vaccine and its successful delivery across our society is absolutely crucial to Australia ’ s COVID recovery .”
The study forms part of the ANU Centre for Social Research Methods COVID-19 monitoring program and is available online .
Data collection for the study was provided by the Social Research Centre , with financial support from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare . ■