SINGAPORE: About one in 3 in Singapore is reluctant to vaccinate their child against COVID-19, according to a study.
The study was conducted by a team of pediatricians from Khoo Teck Puat – National University Children’s Medical Institute at the National University Hospital (NUH).
Another key finding was that those who had reservations about vaccinating their children against covid-19 were less likely to accept it with their children’s doctors.
The results of the study show that only 42% of parents who hesitate to get vaccinated fully accept with their children’s doctors, compared to 68% of parents who do not hesitate to get vaccinated.
“This tells us that we want to work hard with every parent to make this informed decision for their child to ensure the best outcome,” said Dr. Lee Le Ye, one of the study’s authors.
The survey involved 628 parents of seniors aged 32 to 45 and was conducted between November 2021 and March 2022 through the FormSG electronic platform.
QR codes for the electronic survey were placed around the NUH, pediatric and obstetrics wards were added, and emails were sent to hospital staff.
Singapore is offering Covid-19 vaccines for children aged six months to four years from 25 October.
To build trust, Dr. Lee, a senior representative in NUH’s neonatology department, said a technique tailored for parents is needed.
Doctors can teach parents about COVID-19 vaccines at their children’s doctor visits, when they’re most open to that information, she said.
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Parents have other concerns as well.
“One parent might worry about the dose, while another might worry about side effects. Another might worry about logistics or whether to separate covid-19 vaccines among other popular regime vaccines,” Dr. Lee said, adding that parents take their offspring to multiple vaccines as part of the national vaccination schedule of formative years around one year of age.
NUH nurse Illene Chen, 30, said she did not know if her two-year-old daughter, who recovered from Covid-19 in August, had taken a dose of the vaccine.
As for her two-month-old son, she would rather finish the mandatory vaccinations of her formative years than the covid-19 vaccine.
He said he plans to discuss those issues with the doctor in his circle of relatives next week. , given the recent accumulation of cases caused by the XBB strain.
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The survey found that moms were less hesitant about vaccines than fathers.
Researchers say one possible explanation for why moms are often the ones who take their children to mandatory vaccinations, so they have more opportunities to develop acceptance with fitness professionals.
“We need the circle of relatives to come together to make concise decisions that benefit their children,” said Dr. Lee, who, under pressure that parents play a vital role, as there are cases of parents disagreeing about covid-19 vaccines for their children. children.
Another finding of the study was vaccine hesitancy was especially related to decreased schooling and family income, in addition to not being vaccinated against covid-19.
Dr. Lee suggested parents vaccinate their children against the coronavirus.
“Children, especially younger ones, have a more severe (form of) illness, requiring hospitalization, intensive care (ICU) and supplemental oxygen. Therefore, it is vital for us to protect those children.
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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission is required for reproduction.