A questionnaire survey for Japanese parents on intention to vaccinate their children against COVID-19 and influenza.

BACKGROUND

Since 2024, coronavirus (COVID-19) and influenza vaccines for children have been voluntarily administered in Japan. Evaluating parental intentions to receive these vaccinations and the reasons for vaccine hesitancy may elucidate issues regarding vaccine confidence. This study aimed to evaluate the intention of parents to vaccinate their children against COVID-19 and influenza.

METHODS

A questionnaire survey was conducted between July and October 2024. Eligible participants were parents or caregivers of at least one child aged 6 months to 17 years. The questionnaire asked the parents about their intention to vaccinate their children against COVID-19 and influenza for the 2024-2025 season, before and after receiving information about the vaccines, as well as their reasons for not vaccinating.

RESULTS

Answers from 213 parents and caregivers of 286 children were included in the study. After reading the vaccine information, 90.1 % of parents intended to vaccinate their children against influenza, while and 9.4 % intended to vaccinate against COVID-19. Of the parents or caregivers, 69.0 % indicated that they would not vaccinate their children with the COVID-19 vaccine, even if it was free. Among those refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, 77.3 % cited safety concerns as the reason for their decision.

CONCLUSION

The intention of parents to vaccinate their children was very high for influenza vaccination. However, only few parents intended to vaccinate their children against the COVID-19 vaccine even after providing medical information. Many parents expressed concerns about the safety of COVID-19 vaccination in children as a reason for not intending to vaccinate.