Alen Kinyina¹* and Sarah Mohamed Chamos²

¹John Hopkins University Affiliate-Jhpiego Tanzania, Tanzania
²Tanzania Red Cross Society (TRCS), Tanzania

*Corresponding Author: Alen Kinyina, John Hopkins University Affiliate-Jhpiego Tanzania, Tanzania.

Received: July 29, 2021; Published: August 28, 2021

Abstract

Introduction: Development of a vaccine against the COVID 19 virus is considered successful preventive measure and the current hope over the fight against the present pandemic. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged hesitancy as a threat towards the uptake of the vaccine.

Objective: This study aims to explore the perception and attitudes of Health Care Workers (HCWs) and hesitancy towards the COVID 19 vaccination programme in Tanzania. This study used a thematic approach to analyze the data

Methods: We conducted a cross sectional qualitative study. In-depth interview was done to 153 respondents to explore their views, opinion and concerns toward the COVID 19 vaccine. Finally, syntheses and summaries were generated and key terms, phrases and expressions of the participants were used to support the findings.

Results: HCWs understand that the vaccine are not effective by 100% however when they outweigh the risk of COVID 19 severity and vaccine risks, their choice is to get vaccinated. Due to uncertainty, insufficient information about safety and efficacy and few clinical trials some HCWs are delaying to make choice of decision to be vaccinated.

Conclusion: HCWs in Tanzania are optimistic towards the COVID 19 vaccine and are ready to get vaccine. They perceive that regardless of unknown and uncertainty about the vaccine, the risks of COVID 19 severity outweigh the risk of vaccine. Few of them feel they need more evidences and trials in order to be vaccinated.

Keywords: COVID 19; Vaccines; Hesitancy; Perception; Attitudes

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Citation

Citation: Kinyina and Sarah Mohamed Chamos. “Hesitancy, Perceptions and Attitudes towards COVID-19 Vaccination Programme among Health Care Workers in Tanzania”.Acta Scientific Medical Sciences 5.9 (2021): 150-155.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2021 Kinyina and Sarah Mohamed Chamos. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.