Determinants of COVID-19 pediatric vaccine hesitancy and uptake among parents from Pakistan

Parental hesitancy to vaccinate their children may be an obstacle to achieving herd immunity against COVID-19. The current study was aimed to assess the prevalence of parental vaccine hesitancy, vaccine uptake, and factors associated with these behaviors. A web-based descriptive study design was used in this study. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data conveniently from Pakistani parents with children younger than 18 years. The participants self-reported the vaccination status among their children along with their socio-demographic details and attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination in children. The association between different variables was assessed using the Chi-square test, while logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the predictors of vaccine hesitancy and uptake. Among the 386 study participants, 30 % were hesitant to be vaccinated, while 70 % got their children vaccinated against COVID-19. The younger parents, having one child (<12 years), were more hesitant to vaccinate them. Vaccine uptake was most commonly reported among participants who agreed with the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine in children. Health authorities should start educational campaigns to convince hesitant Pakistani parents about the benefits and safety of pediatric vaccination in order to promote the vaccination of children against COVID-19.