The Social Attitudes Towards the Booster Dose of the COVID-19 Vaccine and the Associated Factors Among Residents of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background As a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, global health was significantly affected. Therefore, the booster dose was approved to be administered to people who had completed a primary vaccination series in order to enhance their immunity. This study aims to identify the factors that lead to willingness or hesitancy toward the third/booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, to estimate the rate of acceptance and hesitancy toward the third/booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and to measure third/booster dose COVID-19 vaccine literacy among residents of Riyadh. Methods This study is a quantitative analytical cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study from March 2022 to December 2022. The data were gathered using a convenience sampling technique from 435 participants in the Riyadh region 16 years old and above by using a validated questionnaire. Results Among the participants, 72.6% were females; 53.4% of young participants aged 16-25 years had a good knowledge of the booster dose versus 26.2% of those aged 45 years or above, with reported statistical significance (P=0.001). The functional literacy of the COVID-19 vaccine which is defined as the ability to read and write effectively was higher among the non-hesitant group compared to the hesitant group. The interactive/critical literacy of the COVID-19 vaccine, which is defined as the advanced abilities that enable people to make sense of information so they may take decisions that are relevant to their own lives, was higher among the non-hesitant group compared to the hesitant group. 72.2% of the study participants reported that if the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine was not mandatory by the government, they would not have taken it. Also, 19.1% thought that taking the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine would endanger their lives. Conclusion The findings of the current study revealed that the factors leading to the willingness or hesitancy toward the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine include age, gender, and side effects. Also, measuring the COVID-19 vaccine literacy revealed that it is higher among the non-hesitant group than the hesitant group although it was statistically insignificant. Meanwhile, further studies should be done to track and measure COVID-19 vaccine literacy over time, and examine the factors associated with the booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy for more validation and application.