US poll finds hesitation to COVID-19 vaccine not spilling over to routine childhood immunization

In a recent article published in front line healthresearchers provided insights from a United States (US) population poll on the impact of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on routine childhood immunizations, including tetanus, polio, and measles vaccinations. provided.

report: Is COVID-19 Threatening Routine Childhood Immunizations? Insights from US Poll. Image credit: Rohane Hamilton / Shutterstock

Background

Anti-vaccine sentiment related to COVID-19 vaccination has received significant media attention in the United States recently, and there are concerns that there is growing hesitancy about routine childhood vaccination. Anti-vaccine sentiment discourages parents and children from getting vaccinated, and could threaten existing policies that emphasize school-to-school vaccination requirements in all US states and territories.

A decline in routine childhood vaccination coverage has been reported during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. The decline in vaccination coverage was initially attributed to disruptions in offline schooling and visits to health facilities. However, vaccination rates have declined even after health centers and schools began resuming in-person activities, suggesting that COVID-19 may be increasing hesitancy to get vaccinated.

In this article, researchers analyzed a US poll on the threat of COVID-19 to routine immunizations for children.

The team includes 21 country-level polls conducted from 2015 to 2023, before COVID-19 or during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the U.S. public opinion It met the quality standards of the Association for Research (AAPOR). The team evaluated views on the safety of vaccines, trust in community health centers that promote vaccination, and support for school education policies that stipulate compulsory vaccination.

Vaccine safety and risks

A poll showed that between 35% and 42% of the US population think the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine is “very safe” for children. Other polls showed similar results. Fewer than 4 in 10 adults expressed high confidence in the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine for children. However, public opinion polls have shown that the safety of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine did not translate to conventional vaccines for children.

About 69% to 70% of the general public believed routine childhood immunizations were safe for children. 85% to Eighty-eight percent of people agreed with the benefits of childhood measles, mumps and rubella. The (MMR) vaccine outweighed the risks. Sentiments are similarly partisan, with 86% of Republicans and 92% of Democrats holding the same view in 2023.

Notably, public perceptions of the safety of routine childhood vaccines improved throughout the COVID-19 period, rising from 54% pre-pandemic to 61% to 70% by the end of 2022 during the pandemic. bottom. Routine pediatric vaccines were thought to be safer because standard immunizations were more common and widely used for several years before the COVID-19 vaccine was released. .

Trust in health authorities for vaccines and support for immunization in schools

Only 40% of U.S. adults had strong confidence in their local health authorities to provide reliable data on the safety of COVID-19 vaccinations for teens. Similarly, 25-28% of the general public trusts the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and 31-36% believe the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides reliable data on the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine over time. I trusted you to deliver. COVID19.

In contrast, no knock-on effect was seen with the regular pediatric vaccine. 54% of the general public trust health authorities to provide data on the safety of routine childhood vaccines. Moreover, trust in population health agencies to provide accurate data on the safety of routine childhood vaccination increased from 37% in 2019 to 54% in 2022.

Public opinion is divided on whether SARS-CoV-2 vaccination should be compulsory for students for in-person education before the 2022-2023 school year begins, with 47.0% to 52.0% saying so. did not agree with the compulsory school education. Notably, US public opposition to mandatory SARS-CoV-2 vaccination for students was 5.0% to 7.0% stronger in the year before the 2022-2023 school year compared to the previous year.

Opinion polls have seen spillover effects, as seen in factors that provoke fluctuations in support levels and public opposition during the COVID-19 pandemic. Between 2016 and 2019, 82% to 84% of U.S. adults needed to be vaccinated against diseases that affect children, such as rubella, measles and mumps, in order to continue offline schooling. I answered yes.

However, from 2019 to 2023, population-level support for the requirement decreased from 10.0% to 12.0%. During this period, Republican approval ratings dropped significantly, as did individuals who did not receive the COVID-19 vaccine. 49% believed that parents should be allowed to make decisions for their children.

Conclusion

Based on the findings, there is no knock-on effect from COVID-19 to routine childhood vaccination in the area of ​​trust and safety. Rather, the general public expressed a more positive attitude toward the regular pediatric vaccine during the pandemic, perhaps because the general public contrasted the new SARS-CoV-2 vaccine with the one they were used to. be done.

However, there has been little support for mandates put into place during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the public increasingly negative about the need for routine vaccination of children in schools, showing a knock-on effect. there is The big picture emerging from opinion polls conducted before and after COVID-19 is that the gap between public attitudes towards vaccines and vaccination policies has widened. It is that you are. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans cut back on anti-vaccination and stepped up anti-mandatory behavior.