Keywords
acceptance, the Maldives
side-effects
religious views
How to Cite
Abstract
The aim of the study was to identify the perceptions regarding the COVID-19 epidemic and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine. A cross-sectional study design was employed to collect the data for the study using an online questionnaire. Among 700 participants, 602 (86%) people agreed that they would get the vaccine if it became available. The reasons people gave for not agreeing to get the vaccines were that the vaccine might have side effects, it might be too expensive, and it might not be safe. Only 1.2% said that they did not want to vaccinate due to religious reasons. Vaccine acceptance was associated with age, employment status, and Influenza vaccination in the past 12 months. Although the perception towards the COVID-19 vaccine was good in general, there were some negative perceptions too. Hence, creating public awareness regarding the vaccines and the importance of vaccination is crucial.
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