Thousands of Kiwis with long-term health conditions remain Covid-19 vaccine hesitant while more than a quarter (29%) have not been offered a vaccine, a new survey has revealed.
Addressing vaccine hesitancy in this group may require a more innovative approach, said pharmacist Din Redzepagic from Zoom Pharmacy. “While it is reassuring to see high numbers of those living with chronic health conditions willing to be vaccinated, the study findings show that one in seven remain resistant.”
Around a sixth (15%) of the Zoom Pharmacy survey respondents said access to reliable transport was a barrier to travelling to a local vaccination centre while 11% said they had insufficient information to make an informed decision about whether to take the vaccine.
The most common reason given by those who were unsure about the vaccine is a belief that it is too soon to see whether there are any long-term effects (74% of those respondents who are unsure or unlikely to commit to getting the vaccine). Almost 38% said they would rather wait and see if others suffer side effects while a third (35%) said they need to be better assured of its safety.
The survey indicates it would be possible to make significant inroads into the numbers of Kiwis categorised as being in Group 3 simply by addressing the logistical and cost transport barriers or the provision of a small non-cash incentive, said Redzepagic, adding that as many as 13% said they would be more likely to be vaccinated if a mobile vaccination service could bring the vaccine to them at their work, home, community group, or place of worship.
