Research: Covid-19 and the flu vaccine12 Oct 2020 20:36
A study finds that fear of Covid-19 has increased Brits’ acceptance of flu vaccination. Researchers from Imperial College London surveyed 6,640 people registered with an online patient records service. Of those, 1,620 had been eligible for the flu vaccine before, but not been vaccinated, or were newly eligible for the vaccine. They asked this group whether or not they planned to get the flu vaccine this year – and why. Some 56.7 per cent of those who had previously been eligible but had not had the vaccination said they would this year, meaning 91.2 per cent of the eligible group want to be vaccinated, up from 79.6 per cent last year. Of the newly eligible respondents, a little over two-thirds (68.6 per cent) said they intend to get the vaccine this year. Some 27 per cent of those who would be getting a vaccine for the first time declared that Covid-19 was the rationale behind their decision. The paper concludes that there is a ‘high anticipated vaccination rate’ but it will require ‘effective messaging campaigns to address negative misconceptions about flu vaccination, which may also help in preparation for future Covid-19 vaccination’.