COVID-19 vaccination in 5-11 years old children: Drivers of vaccine hesitancy among parents in Quebec

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was recently authorized for Canadian children aged 5 to 11 years old. Previous studies have indicated that low parental vaccination intention can be anticipated. To better understand drivers of vaccine hesitancy among parents of 5-11 years old children, four focus group discussions were conducted. Interviewed parents generally showed little concern about the risk of COVID-19 for their child(ren) and many mentioned that children are at low risk of complications from COVID-19. Out of 28 participants, seven intended to vaccinate their child(ren) while the remaining were unsure or unwilling. Even if parents were themselves vaccinated, many hesitated for their child(ren). These parents perceived that it was unnecessary (due to low risk of complications) and were concerned about risks of side effects. Clear communication on vaccine safety and usefulness will be critical to reassure parents and foster vaccine acceptance.

Automated summary

The study found that many parents are not concerned about the risk of their children contracting COVID-19 and believe that the risk of complications for children is low. Only a minority of parents plan to vaccinate their children, while others are hesitant or unwilling. Even if parents themselves are vaccinated, many hesitate to vaccinate their children.