COVID-19 and vaccine hesitancy: A longitudinal study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Social Psychology
• Health Communication

Background:

• Public health crises often increase disease salience, potentially improving vaccine attitudes.
• Understanding shifts in vaccine acceptance during pandemics is crucial for public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine changes in vaccination attitudes and intentions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To investigate demographic and political differences in vaccine attitude trends.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal survey of US residents over six months (March-August 2020).
• Assessed attitudes toward COVID-19 and influenza vaccines.
• Analyzed trends by political affiliation (Democrats vs. Republicans).

Main Results:

• A significant decrease in COVID-19 and influenza vaccine intentions was observed.
• This decline was primarily driven by Republican participants, while Democrats remained stable.
• Lower perceived virus threat correlated with less favorable vaccine attitudes.

Conclusions:

• Contrary to expectations, COVID-19 pandemic salience decreased vaccine acceptance.
• Political polarization significantly impacted vaccine attitudes, with Republicans showing a negative trend.
• Media and social network exposure may explain partisan differences in vaccine perception.