Scientists have named the reasons for the change in attitudes towards vaccinations against coronavirus
A UK study found that most people who initially opposed the COVID-19 vaccine have already been vaccinated against the coronavirus. According to the researchers, the driving force behind the change in the views of “vaccine dissidents” was the ability to travel and see relatives.
The study found that more than half of people in the UK who were vehemently against vaccination around the time the first dose was started have had a coronavirus shot by now, according to The Guardian.
Researchers from the University of Bristol and King’s College London also found that about one in seven of the most die-hard skeptics who have not yet been vaccinated change their minds and intend to get vaccinated when offered.
Dr. Siobhan McAndrew, senior lecturer in quantitative social sciences in Bristol, said the change in attitudes was often “the specific benefits of vaccinations in terms of being able to travel and see family and friends again.”
She added: “Part of the increased confidence in vaccines has to do with social proof that people feel more confident because they see others take the vaccine with confidence. The first to be vaccinated were the oldest people who had a strong sense of civic responsibility and helped set the standard for you to take the vaccine when your turn comes. This has prompted others to move from claiming they were likely to take the vaccine to accepting it, or claiming that they would definitely do it. “
The researchers also found that of those who considered themselves “not very” or “not at all inclined” to take the vaccine when asked in November and December last year, 84% of those surveyed have since been vaccinated.
“Some people who were basically positive waited and watched — and their confidence was reinforced by the evidence that the vaccine was safe and effective,” says Dr. Siobhan McAndrew. – Others hesitated when asked at the beginning of winter. As the vaccine was deployed, they became increasingly convinced that it was being used correctly. For some, it was the invitation that helped make a decision. “
But while the data show that people are increasingly comfortable with the idea of vaccination, researchers caution against complacency and point to large differences along racial and religious lines.
The study suggests that white people tend to be less likely to get vaccinated than ethnic minorities, with the researchers blaming some of the past negative experiences of some people with health care. The researchers did not disaggregate the data so that different minority ethnic groups could be analyzed separately.
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