- The acceptance of vaccines is increasing, according to a recent survey.
- The survey found that this was the case among older age groups especially.
- However, those aged 18 to 24 have shown decreased acceptance.
Covid-19 vaccine acceptance is increasing, according to a survey conducted by the Centre for Social Change at the University of Johannesburg (UJ).
The survey, which involved more than 7 600 respondents, found that vaccine acceptance increased between January and July.
The fourth round of the survey, which took place between 25 June and 12 July, found that 72% of adults in South Africa had either been vaccinated, would definitely take the vaccine, or would probably take it.
This acceptance rate increased from 67% during the third round of the survey, between 29 December last year and 6 January this year.
However, although the acceptance rate has increased, it is still lower than the government's target of 80%, according to lead researcher Professor Kate Alexander. It means that even if every person who shows vaccine acceptance gets the jab, the country will still fall short of its target, according to Alexander.
Private education provider Curro will require all staff to be vaccinated by the end of the year, and those who don't want to be could face retrenchment | @Fin24 https://t.co/ec2TN9fJOU
— News24 (@News24) August 18, 2021
However, there remained a large gap between those who were willing to take a vaccine and those who had already received one.
Among the respondents, only 10% had already had a vaccine, while 49% said they would definitely get their jabs. Around half of the 60+ age group had already been vaccinated at the time of the survey.
As of Tuesday, around 20% of the adult population (7 595 177 people) had received at least one vaccine dose, according to the national health department.
The survey found that older age groups were more accepting of Covid-19 vaccines. Acceptance was highest among those older than 55. It had increased from 74% to 85% between Rounds 3 and 4. Among pensioners, the acceptance rate was 90%.
Acceptance rates had dropped among the youth. In the 18 to 24 age group, only 55% showed vaccine acceptance – a drop from 62% in Round 3.
Acceptance rates also differed between race groups, Alexander said.
Priscilla Potgieter was willing to take her chances, refusing to register for the Covid-19 vaccination and labelling the pandemic over-exaggerated as it is "just a cold". She chose to get the jab after seeing family members succumb to the pandemic. https://t.co/rNnrbGLBQT
— News24 (@News24) August 18, 2021
Black African adults were most accepting of the vaccine, with the acceptance rate increasing from 69% to 75% between the two survey rounds.
However, acceptance had declined among white adults – dropping from 56% to 52%. But despite this difference in acceptance rates, white South Africans were more likely to be vaccinated than black South Africans. This speaks to a lack of access, especially among more impoverished communities, Alexander said.
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