Attitude of public towards COVID-19 vaccine in Turkey

Attitudes of Public Towards Covid-19 Vaccine in Turkey Vaccination has been reported as the most effective weapon in the fighting against the Covid-19 that was first identified in China in December 2019. The aim of the research is to determine the attitude of the public towards the Covid-19 vaccine and the factors affecting the decision to be vaccinated in a short time before the start of the vaccination program in Turkey. This study has a descriptive design, and the population of the study consists of individuals aged 18 and over living in Turkey (N=1098). The data of the research were collected in Turkey through an online survey in December 2020. Numbers and percentages were used when summarizing the characteristics of the participants. Pearson Chi-square test was applied when comparing the characteristics of the participants with the decision to be vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccine. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to predict the relationships of the variables with the decision to vaccinate with the Covid-19 vaccine. 34.1% (n=374) of the participants agreed to be vaccinated with a Covid-19 vaccine approved by the Ministry of Health. While 23.0% (n=253) said "No", 42.9% (n=471) said they were "Undecided". The most common reasons for vaccine hesitancy/rejection for the Covid-19 vaccine were concerns about the safety of the vaccine with 42.6% (n=468) and doubts about the efficacy of the vaccine with 42.1% (n=462). As the "Covid-19 Fear" score increased, the probability of vaccine hesitancy/rejection decreased (OR=0.9, 95% CI 0.93-0.97, p <0.001), and males were 1.6 times more willing than females (OR=1.6, 95% CI 1.24-2.20, p=0.001) to get vaccinated. The vaccine hesitancy/rejection rate was 1.7 times higher (OR=1.7, 95% CI 1.17-2.64, p<0.05) in those not vaccinated for H1N1 in the 2009 pandemic and 1.4 times higher (OR=1, 4, 95% CI 1.06-1.98, p 0.05) in those who had never received a seasonal flu vaccine before. This study showed that there is significant vaccine instability before widespread vaccination. Vaccination history is one of the factors determining attitude towards a newly developed vaccine. The high rate of vaccine hesitancy/rejection among the health workers, who are among the risk groups, shows that the concerns about vaccine safety are higher than the concerns about the fatality and morbidity of the disease. Keywords: Covid-19, Vaccine, Vaccination