CAPE TOWN - Most people who are still unvaccinated don’t plan to take the jab.
This is according to the Covid-19 Vaccine Survey (CVACS) implemented by the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU) at UCT, which collected information on facilitators and barriers to vaccine uptake in South Africa.
Between November 2021 and March 2022, CVACS conducted two phone-based surveys to understand public opinion and demand for vaccination.
SALDRU’s Brendan Maughan Brown and Katherine Eyal co-lead the project, with collaboration from Kim Ingle and Tim Brophy (SALDRU), and Alison Buttenheim of the University of Pennsylvania. The CVACS team was joined by Lindokuhle Njozela and Tim Köhler for Survey 2 research activities.
A key finding among the unvaccinated group was that “the majority of unvaccinated do not plan to get vaccinated, most say ’only if required’ or ’definitely not,’” Maughan-Brown noted. Another key finding included that vaccine hesitancy was most common among the privileged.
People with a chronic illness were also not more inclined to get vaccinated and few trust Covid-19 information from the government.
“Increasing vaccine access and messaging campaigns are unlikely to work in better resourced areas,” said Maughan-Brown.
He added that “tailored campaigns” are needed among high risk populations.
In terms of the vaccinated group surveyed, the research findings showed they were happy with their decision.
“Vaccinated people are good vaccine ambassadors. Social norms could also be leveraged, as many of the vaccinated group, saw other people get vaccinated.
“They also saw that vaccines remain safe, which increased awareness that vaccinated people remain healthy,” researchers said.
Meanwhile, mandates were among the main things that helped people decide to get vaccinated.
“Most people believe that mandates are effective but most oppose them. Opposition is based on individual rights and beliefs that the vaccine harms people and is not needed.
“Mandates may be the most effective strategy remaining. However, such strategies need to be designed with sensitivity to opposition.
Careful framing will be required. Government’s role may be to support and facilitate NGO and private institutions’ mandate requirements,” said Maughan-Brown.
In the “wait and see” group people answered that they were not yet vaccinated because of side effects; their belief that the vaccine killed or harmed people; and rumours and negative stories about the effects of vaccination.
Some also felt that they did not need the vaccine, among other reasons.
Cape Times