Swansea University Reports Findings in COVID-19 (‘I don’t want my son to be part of a giant experiment’: public attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines in children): Coronavirus – COVID-19

2022 MAR 29 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- New research on Coronavirus - COVID-19 is the subject of a report. According to news reporting originating in Swansea, United Kingdom, by NewsRx editors, the research stated, “This qualitative study explored public attitudes to COVID-19 vaccines in children, including reasons for support or opposition to them. This was a qualitative study using online focus groups and interviews.”

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from Swansea University, “Group and individual online interviews were conducted with a diverse sample of 24 adults in the United Kingdom to explore their views on the issue of COVID-19 vaccination in children. Data were analysed using a framework approach. COVID-19 vaccination in children was framed as a complex problem (a ‘minefield’). Six themes emerged to explain participants views: (1) uncertainty over whether children can catch, transmit or be severely harmed by COVID-19; (2) lower risk tolerance for unknown longer term effects of the vaccine in children; (3) association of the vaccine programme with government’s handling of the pandemic; (4) local social norms as a driver of hesitancy; (5) vaccinating children as a way to protect vulnerable adults; and (6) children’s vaccination as parental choice. COVID-19 vaccination in children is perceived by members of the public as a complex issue, and many are torn or hesitant about the idea.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “Public health communications will need to combat this hesitancy if vaccine uptake for children is to be pursued as a public health policy.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: ‘I don’t want my son to be part of a giant experiment’: public attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines in children. Public Health, 2022;205:116-121. Public Health can be contacted at: W B Saunders Co Ltd, 32 Jamestown Rd, London NW1 7BY, England. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Public Health - http://www.journals.elsevier.com/public-health/)

Our news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained by contacting S. N. Williams, Centre for People and Organisation, School of Management, Swansea University, Swansea, SA1 8EN, UK.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2022.01.016. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

The publisher of the journal Public Health can be contacted at: W B Saunders Co Ltd, 32 Jamestown Rd, London NW1 7BY, England.

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