Wake up call for govt: Study shows St Vincent & the Grenadines with highest vaccine hesitancy

Recent study done by a survey commissioned by UNICEF and USAID notes St Vincent and the Grenadines is the most vaccine-hesitant island in the Sub-region. The data of the survey was released on Friday, January 14, 2022, in which the country attained a score of 5.4.

The survey was conducted in around 6 countries of the Caribbean region, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago, by the Caribbean Development Research Services Inc (CADRES). As per the index, a country obtaining 1 is a good score, 3 is the objective score, and 10 is an imperfect one. 

The data states only 20% of parents having children studying in primary schools and 36% studying in secondary schools are willing to get their children vaccinated. This percentage is significantly less as compared to the average percent statistic of the other five countries, as per which at least 48% of parents showed their concern to get their children vaccinate against the COVID-19. 

Meanwhile, only 33% of the country’s population is on the side of making the vaccine mandatory. 

The individuals who agreed to get their children immunised with COVID-19 WHO-approved dose noted that they made the decision after consulting their doctor and doing in-depth research. 

The majority of St Vincent and the Grenadines citizens have shown their trust more over the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. As per the conclusion of the survey data, lack of confidence is the main reason for vaccine-hesitancy among the country’s population, adding that they are unsure about the long-term effects of the vaccines. 

The survey further underscored the primary sources of information on the COVID-19 vaccine situation were proved to be the government or official sources, while in St Vincent and the Grenadines, the majority of the people depend on the social media sources, as their priority means to obtain update regarding the COVID-19.   

The survey judged several other factors also, indeed the government of St Vincent and the Grenadines must take this as a wake-up call.