Parents' Opinions About Having Their Children Vaccinated Against COVID-19

Abstract

Objective: Children can develop immunological reactions weeks after being infected by COVID-19. These reactions increase children's rates of mortality and morbidity due to COVID-19. Therefore, vaccination may be an important way to reduce the delayed effects of COVID-19 infection in children. Vaccinating children against COVID-19 will also contribute to controlling the pandemic and the global economy's recovery. Parents are responsible for deciding whether or not their children receive vaccinations against COVID-19. This study aimed to determine parents' opinions about having their children vaccinated against COVID-19. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 423 parents with children under 18 years old. The data were collected using an Information Form for Parents and Children, and a web-based questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed by the researchers based on the literature. It has questions about parents' willingness to have their children vaccinated against COVID-19 and their experiences with the vaccines included on Turkey's National Vaccination Schedule. Results: Of the parents, 27.7% wanted to get their children vaccinated against COVID-19. Of the children, 15.1% had been infected by COVID-19. The parents with older children (11-15 year-olds and 16-18 year-olds) wanted the have them vaccinated against COVID-19 at a higher rate than the parents of children who were under 5 years old (p=0.003). The parents cited distrust, negative effects on children and being unnecessary as their reasons for not wanting to have their children vaccinated against COVID-19. Conclusion:Transparency is important in the vaccine development process and vaccine safety tests. Public health authorities should address incorrect information in a timely manner. This will help to manage parents' perceptions of and behaviors concerning the vaccination of their children against COVID-19.