Public opinion in vaccine allocation priority: who comes first?

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Public Health Policy
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid vaccine development and deployment.
• Equitable and effective vaccine allocation strategies are critical for pandemic control.
• Public perception significantly influences vaccine acceptance and uptake.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate public preferences for COVID-19 vaccine allocation priority.
• To examine the influence of perceived health vulnerability and economic backlash on these preferences.
• To analyze in-group favoritism in vaccine allocation decisions.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was conducted in Italy (n=506) prior to the vaccine campaign.
• Participants ranked social categories for vaccine allocation priority.
• Perceived health vulnerability and economic backlash were measured using ranking tasks.

Main Results:

• Healthcare workers were prioritized by 65% of respondents.
• Vaccine allocation priority correlated with perceived health vulnerability, not economic concerns.
• A minority (1/5) prioritizing others over healthcare workers showed lower education, higher infection worry, and vaccine distrust.

Conclusions:

• A strong consensus exists regarding initial COVID-19 vaccine recipients.
• Policymakers should consider public preferences for successful vaccine communication and rollout.
• Addressing vaccine hesitancy factors, like distrust and misinformation, is essential for program success.