COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and influence of professional medical guidance

BACKGROUND: Vaccine hesitancy presents a major challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is crucial to address the factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy necessary to control the associated morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to investigate the impact of professional medical guidance on the likelihood of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine in immigrants of USA and Canada. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 92 immigrants in the USA and Canada who predominantly spoke Malayalam were recruited using social media platforms. An online survey was administered investigating participants’ confidence in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Following, a short webinar was conducted by a medical professional explaining the efficacy and safety of the vaccine. A postwebinar survey was immediately given assessing the confidence and likelihood of receiving the vaccine. SPSS was used to generate descriptive statistics and Pearson Chi-square analysis where appropriate. RESULTS: Results revealed that participants who attended the webinar reported greater confidence in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. There was a statistically significant difference between pre- and postwebinar confidence scores for the COVID-19 vaccine, χ(2) (12, n = 80) = 43.34, P < 0.01. CONCLUSION: Results from the current study demonstrate the successful delivery of professional medical guidance to the general public through online small-group sessions to help address the misconceptions surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine and combat vaccine hesitancy among vulnerable populations. Future studies should focus on interventions addressing vaccine hesitancy in larger and diverse populations and analyze other barriers to vaccination.