Kenneth Fox
Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy fell by 45 points in 12 months, according to an analysis of surveys conducted by Ipsos MRBI for the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA).
In November 2020, 17 per cent of people said they would refuse a Covid-19 vaccine.
By last month, that figure had dropped to 5 per cent. Between November 2020 and November 2021, the proportion of people undecided about taking the vaccine fell from 35 per cent to 2 per cent. That places the overall drop in hesitancy of 45 points.
Among 18 to 34-year-olds, the proportion of people who would refuse a vaccine for Covid-19 has dropped from 19 per cent in November 2020 to 6 per cent in November 2021.
The proportion of people in that age category undecided about taking a Covid-19 fell from 38 per cent to 3 per cent in the same period. That means hesitancy among people aged between 18 and 34 dropped by 48 points in 12 months.
Overall, 93 per cent of people either intend to get vaccinated or have already received a vaccine for the disease, according to the latest survey.
The research-based biopharmaceutical industry said Covid-19 vaccines are saving and protecting millions of lives around the world.
Bernard Mallee, director of Communications and Advocacy at IPHA, said: “From childhood to later in life, the development of vaccines has protected us from serious, and sometimes deadly, diseases.
"In Ireland, smallpox, rubella, polio, tuberculosis, diphtheria, pneumonia and measles used to be part of life. Now, we don’t have to worry about them as much.
“Vaccines for Covid-19, developed in record time without compromising on safety and quality, are saving and protecting millions of lives around the world.
"That Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy is low in Ireland has helped to make us one of the most vaccinated countries in the world. Vaccination reduces serious illness and mortality, giving us a very effective weapon in the battle against the virus."
