A UK study found most people hesitant about Covid vaccines in 2021 later got the jab, highlighting the role of trusted information in overcoming scepticism.
PARIS: Most people who were initially hesitant about Covid-19 vaccines eventually received a dose, according to a major England-based study.
The research, published in The Lancet, illustrates that widespread public vaccine scepticism can be overcome with time and information.
It was based on questionnaires sent to more than one million people in England between January 2021 and March 2022.
Around 8% of respondents were hesitant to get a jab in January 2021, when data was mainly from clinical trials.
A year later, just 1% of respondents remained hesitant.
Almost two-thirds of initially sceptical people went on to receive at least one vaccine dose, according to cited National Health Service data.
The most likely to change their mind were those initially worried about vaccine effectiveness or health impacts.
People with low trust in institutions, experts, or vaccines in general were more likely to remain hesitant.
Study co-author Paul Elliott of Imperial College London highlighted the importance of reliable information for informed decisions.
Researchers not involved in the study said the findings have implications beyond the Covid pandemic.
They emphasised the need to understand if similar drivers affect routine vaccinations for diseases like measles or flu.
