A survey of nearly 10,000 unvaccinated adults in 15 countries conducted by Ipsos in partnership with the World Economic Forum has revealed vaccine hesitancy tends to be more prevalent among those with lower incomes or lower levels of education, younger generations and/or females.

Amongst the 15 counties surveyed were France, Spain, Germany and Italy where the samples taken are representative of unvaccinated adults among the general adult population under the age of 75.

Majorities in all but two of the countries, the USA and Russia, intend to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available to them. However, the study indicates that vaccination intent has been declining since February – not only in the United States and the United Kingdom where about half of all adults have already received at least one dose, but also in countries, where vaccination campaigns have been slower, such as Australia and South Korea.

The survey was conducted among 9,890 unvaccinated adults under the age of 75, between April 22^nd and 25^th.

Among adults who have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19, a majority agree that they would get it given the opportunity, in 13 of the 15 countries surveyed.

Intent amongst those who are not yet vaccinated is very high in Spain, Brazil, Mexico and China, fairly high in Italy, Germany, Canada and South Korea and middling in France, Australia and South Africa.

While the percentage of unvaccinated adults who agree they would get a COVID-19 vaccine has not changed significantly since February in eight of the 15 countries, it has increased by more than 3 points in Mexico and Brazil and it has dropped by more than 3 points in Italy, the US, Australia, the United Kingdom and South Korea.

On average, among all adults surveyed across the 15 countries, 29% disagree they would get a vaccine for COVID-19 if it were available to them. A higher percentage of the vaccine hesitant are to be found amongst those living in lower income households, those with a lower level of education, those aged between 16 and 23 and between 24 to 38 and females.

With vaccine misinformation being widely spread on social media platforms, The World Economic Forum has published a report entitled How to Build Trust in Vaccines in order to better understand the sentiment that drives lower levels of confidence.

Genya Dana, Head of Health and Healthcare at the World Economic Forum, said, ‘It is important to come together and engage in dialogue to understand public health concerns. Vaccines represent one of the greatest public health advances in modern times. Their role in ending the COVID-19 pandemic depends in large part on understanding how to meet people where they are and listening to and responding to their questions.’

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