Acceptability of COVID-19 vaccination in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study using a web-based survey

The success of COVID-19 vaccination depends on individual's vaccine acceptance. There has been misinformation on the media that doubts its effectiveness, safety, and long-term risk. Such controversy could affect the acceptance toward the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine. The objective of this study was to assess the factors influencing the acceptance and hesitancy toward the COVID-19 vaccine in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted. An online survey was conducted with four parameters: Demographics, medical history, knowledge and information sources about COVID-19 and vaccine, and hesitancy/acceptance of vaccinations. Bivariate analysis between several survey items and the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine was conducted using Chi-square test. Logistic regression was used to assess to what degree each variable affects the acceptance and the hesitancy toward the COVID-19 vaccine. Approximately 64% show a desire to accept the vaccine while 18.3% were extremely hesitant to take the vaccine. Non-demographic factors that were associated with the acceptance toward the COVID-19 vaccine were the source of health information about COVID-19 (OR:1.63; 95% CI:1.07-2.47), perception toward whether the vaccine is effective on other variants of the virus (OR:7.24; 95% CI:4.58-11.45), previous uptake of the influenza vaccine (OR:1.62; 95% CI:1.07-2.47), and potential mandatory of vaccination in order to travel internationally (OR:16.52; 95% CI:10.23-26.68). This study provides an insight into factors - other than the sociodemographic - influencing the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine in Saudi Arabia. The government should address the COVID-19-related misinformation and rumors to increase acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination.