What causes COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy? Ignorance and the lack of bliss in the United Kingdom

Understanding vaccine hesitancy has become increasingly important during the COVID-19 pandemic as governments around the globe have been struggling to convince portions of their populations to participate in vaccination protocols. Here we report on a nationally representative survey of the United Kingdom in which data revealed that individuals showed more willingness to take fictitious vaccines (putatively produced by the US government Medicare program and the now defunct healthcare company Theranos) than to take the Sputnik and Sinovac vaccines (developed by the Russian and Chinese governments respectively). The data indicate that the critical factor in vaccine hesitancy among the respondents was anxiety rather than familiarity with vaccines.

Automated summary

Understanding vaccine hesitancy is crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey in the United Kingdom revealed that anxiety, rather than familiarity with vaccines, was the critical factor in vaccine hesitancy among respondents.