Attitudes, Perception, and Acceptance of the Covid-19 Vaccine Among Primary Healthcare Workers in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria

Primary healthcare workers (PHCWs) play a pivotal role in pandemic response and vaccine advocacy, yet vaccine hesitancy remains a public health challenge globally. In Nigeria, misinformation, sociocultural beliefs, and limited health literacy threaten vaccine uptake. This study aimed to assess attitudes, perceptions, and acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine among PHCWs in Calabar Municipality, and to identify key factors influencing their uptake. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted in 2022 among 152 PHCWs using a semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire. Respondents were selected using convenience sampling. Quantitative data were analyzed with SPSS version 23 to determine descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages. Attitudes and perceptions were assessed using Likert scales and categorized into positive or negative groups based on predefined thresholds. Of the 152 participants, 133 (87%) had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Among them, 42.8% had received the first, second, and booster doses. Positive attitudes and perceptions were observed in 84% and 78% of respondents, respectively. Vaccine uptake was mainly driven by personal conviction (66.4%), while other motivating factors included trust in health authorities (15.1%), peer influence (9.2%), and media exposure (8.6%). Barriers to uptake included concerns about vaccine safety (26.3%), religious beliefs (21.7%), conspiracy theories (16.4%), and mistrust in in government information significantly hindered uptake (11.8%). Vaccine acceptance among PHCWs in Calabar Municipality is relatively high but remains undermined by misinformation and sociocultural concerns. Targeted interventions such as health literacy campaigns, trust-building with health authorities, and culturally tailored communication strategies are recommended to improve vaccine confidence and sustain high uptake rates.