Dear Editor
We would like to share ideas on the publication “Evaluating the attitudes and behavior of Hong Kong medical students toward receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.”1 Ngai et al. discovered that the predominant reason for seeking immunization was protection against COVID-19, while vaccine reluctance was due to concern about potential negative effects.1 According to Ngai et al. the study discovered a high vaccine uptake rate among medical students, which contrasted with the scenario seen in the Hong Kong general population at the time of the study.1
Aside from the effect of COVID-19, vaccine reluctance for COVID-19 should be investigated. We all feel that vaccination fear around the COVID-19 vaccine is a big problem that, if not addressed, will spread to other routine immunizations and medical care. However, it is crucial to highlight that the decision to receive COVID-19 immunization is influenced by a range of factors, and the pattern varies based on the environment and severity of the outbreak. During the COVID-19 outbreak, faith in the local public health system influenced local people’s responsiveness to public health interventions.2 Adoption rates may vary dramatically as more evidence on vaccine efficacy and safety become available.3 According to a Hong Kong article4 acceptance preferences change with time. A longitudinal study model, rather than a simple cross-sectional method, should be used to investigate the impact of COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccine linked parameters.
Funding Statement
The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.
Disclosure statement
No conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
References
- 1.Ngai NTY, Yip CCH, Khoo JR, Sridhar S.. Evaluating the attitudes and behavior of Hong Kong medical students toward receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2022:1. doi: 10.1080/21645515.2022.2074761. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 2.Sulemane N, Armocida B, Valente M, Formenti B, Barigazzi S, Ussai S, Monasta L, Castelli F, Missoni E. Vaccines hesitancy in Africa: how COVID-19 pandemic may affect malaria vaccination campaigns. J Prev Med Hyg. 2022 Apr 26;63(1):E1–1. doi: 10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2022.63.1.2420. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 3.Mungmunpuntipantip R, Wiwanitkit V. COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy. Recenti Prog Med. 2021. ;112(9):596. doi: 10.1701/3658.36425. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 4.Xiao J, Cheung JK, Wu P, Ni MY, Cowling BJ, Liao Q. Temporal changes in factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and uptake among adults in Hong Kong: serial cross-sectional surveys. Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2022 Mar 29;23:100441. doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2022.100441 [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]