BELIZE CITY, Fri. Aug. 27, 2021– From February 17 to June 18 of this year, The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) conducted an online survey on COVID-19 vaccination acceptance and reluctance — targeting social media users in countries across the region. The results highlighted critical trends in the Caribbean and also pinpointed the prime cause of vaccine reluctance.

The results released by CARPHA outlined findings based on the responses of 2,302 residents of six countries: Barbados, Curacao, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago. A total of 74% of those respondents had been vaccinated or were willing to be vaccinated. Of the remaining 25%, 15% of the respondents were hesitant, and the final 10% did not want to receive the vaccine.

The results also revealed the concerns some have about the vaccine. (Slightly more than half of those surveyed had no concerns about the vaccine.) The most cited concern was the potential side effects of the vaccine. Over 38% of the respondents mentioned this as a cause for concern that delayed their acceptance of the vaccine. Other notable concerns raised included the belief that the vaccine was hastily developed, that enough information was not known about the vaccines, and that respondents did not think vaccines would protect them from COVID-19.

The results further highlighted the key sources from which respondents in the region get their information. According to the respondents, the three most trusted sources of information were scientists, doctors, and health experts, ministries of health, and public health organizations. On the other hand, journalists, religious institutions, and spiritual healers were the least trusted sources of information regarding COVID-19 and the vaccine.

Another key finding from the survey was the apparent correlation between knowledge about COVID-19 and vaccine acceptance. Persons who are well-informed about COVID-19 are more likely to be vaccinated. The CARPHA report on the survey results states, “having prior nformation about COVID-19 is associated with vaccine acceptance, especially among healthcare workers. On the other hand, the more knowledge about COVID-19 expressed by the participants, the less likely the concerns about COVID-19 vaccinations.”

The results indicate that not being properly informed or getting information from untrusted sites can distort the public’s perception of the vaccine.