Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 7, 2025
A Luciferase-fluorescent Reporter Influenza Virus for Live Imaging and Quantification of Viral Infection
Published on: August 14, 2019
COVID-19 and Parent Intention to Vaccinate Their Children Against Influenza
Rebeccah L Sokol1, Anna H Grummon2,3
1School of Social Work, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan; rlsokol@wayne.edu.
Insights
The COVID-19 pandemic decreased seasonal flu vaccination intentions for some parents, particularly those whose children hadn't received the flu shot previously. This suggests the pandemic may worsen existing divides in pediatric vaccination uptake.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Vaccinology
Background:
- The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic created unprecedented public health challenges globally.
- Understanding parental vaccine decision-making during the pandemic is crucial for maintaining routine immunization programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on parental intentions for pediatric seasonal influenza vaccination.
- To assess how prior influenza vaccination status modifies the pandemic's impact on future vaccination decisions.
Main Methods:
- A survey of 2164 US parents of children aged 6 months to 5 years was conducted in May 2020.
- Multivariate multinomial logistic regression analyzed the relationship between prior vaccination and pandemic-influenced future intentions.
Main Results:
- Parental intentions for the 2020-2021 seasonal influenza vaccine significantly differed based on children's 2019-2020 vaccination status (P < .001).
- Parents whose children did not receive the 2019-2020 influenza vaccine were more likely (34%) to report decreased 2020-2021 vaccination intention due to the pandemic.
- Parents whose children received the 2019-2020 vaccine were more likely (39%) to report increased 2020-2021 vaccination intention due to the pandemic.
Conclusions:
- The COVID-19 pandemic alone is insufficient to drive increased pediatric seasonal influenza vaccination rates.
- The pandemic may widen existing disparities in vaccination uptake, creating greater polarization among parents.
Objectives:
Evaluate if the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic influences parents' intentions to have their children receive the 2020-2021 seasonal influenza vaccination.
Methods:
In May 2020, we recruited 2164 US parents and guardians of children ages 6 months to 5 years to complete a brief online survey that examined parental behavior and decision-making in response to experimental stimuli and real-world events. We estimated a multivariate multinomial logistic regression (controlling for key demographics) to assess the relationship between a child's 2019-2020 influenza vaccination status and the COVID-19 pandemic's influence on a parent's intentions for their child's 2020-2021 influenza vaccination.
Results:
Changes in vaccination intentions significantly differed between parents whose children received the 2019-2020 influenza vaccine compared with those whose children did not (P < .001). Specifically, among parents whose children did not receive the 2019-2020 vaccine, 34% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 30%-37%) reported that the COVID-19 pandemic made them less likely to have their child receive the 2020-2021 vaccine. Among those whose children did receive the 2019-2020 vaccine, this figure was just 24% (95% CI: 22%-27%). Conversely, only 21% (95% CI: 18%-24%) of parents whose children did not receive the 2019-2020 vaccine reported that the COVID-19 pandemic made them more likely to have their child receive the 2020-2021 vaccine, compared with 39% (95% CI: 36%-41%) of parents whose children did receive the 2019-2020 vaccine.
Conclusions:
The COVID-19 pandemic alone does not appear sufficient to encourage the uptake of pediatric seasonal influenza vaccination. Instead, the COVID-19 pandemic may exacerbate polarity in vaccination uptake.
Related Concept Videos
01:51Vaccinations
01:30Pneumonia V: Nursing management and Prevention
The nurse must practice strict medical asepsis and adhere to infection control guidelines to minimize healthcare-associated infections.
Enhance airway patency
Position the patient correctly to facilitate drainage of the affected lung segments. Manual or mechanical percussion and vibration can also be employed....
01:25Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...
01:17Transmission-based Precautions I: Contact, Enteric, and Droplets
Contact Precautions:
Contact precautions are the measures taken to prevent the transmission of infectious agents, especially epidemiologically important microorganisms such as MRSA or influenza, primarily transmitted through direct or indirect contact with an...
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
01:30Preventive Healthcare Services