Community Perception and Attitude towards COVID-19 Vaccination for Children in Saudi Arabia

Introduction: Vaccines are an important part of the COVID-19 pandemic response plan. This study was undertaken to find out the percentage of supporters in the Saudi population for COVID-19 vaccination among children, and to assess the study population's perceptions towards COVID-19 vaccination among children. Material and Methods: This nationwide study adopted a cross-sectional survey of adult participants, conducted by trained medical students. The anonymous questionnaire was published on social media tools. Statistical analysis was conducted using two-tailed tests. Results: Six hundred and twenty (620) participants were recruited for this study. Nearly 17.0% of participants had a chronic health problem/comorbidity. About 28.7% of the study participants reported having COVID-19 infection. The COVID-19 vaccine was received among 94.7% of the study respondents. The majority of the vaccination supporters (89.0%) wanted to get the third dose. There was a statistically significant association between the participant's attitudes towards getting vaccinated themselves, and their attitude towards children's vaccination. Vaccine newness, as a reason for hesitating to get vaccinated, was most reported among non-vaccine supporters. False religious beliefs were found to significantly influence the opposing attitude towards children's vaccination. Conclusion: Health professionals and policy makers should implement and support strategies to ensure children are vaccinated against COVID-19. They also need to educate parents and families regarding the importance of vaccination against COVID-19.

Automated summary

This study aimed to determine the percentage of supporters for COVID-19 vaccination among children in the Saudi population and assess their perceptions. A total of 620 adult participants were surveyed, with 94.7% already vaccinated. The majority of supporters (89.0%) were in favor of receiving a third dose. False religious beliefs significantly influenced the opposition to vaccinating children.