Assessment of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Zimbabweans: A rapid national survey

Abstract Background To minimise the devastating effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, scientists hastily developed a vaccine. However, the scale-up of the vaccine is likely to be hindered by the widespread social media misinformation. We, therefore, conducted a study to assess the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Zimbabweans. Methods We conducted a descriptive online cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire among adults. The questionnaire assessed willingness to be vaccinated; socio-demographic characteristics, individual attitudes and perceptions, effectiveness, and safety of the vaccine. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was utilized to examine the independent factors associated with vaccine uptake. Results We analysed data for 1168 participants, age range of 19-89 years with the majority being females (57.5%). Half (49.9%) of the participants reported that they would accept the COVID-19 vaccine. The majority were uncertain about the effectiveness of the vaccine (76.0%) and its safety (55.0%). About half lacked trust in the government’s ability to ensure the availability of an effective vaccine and 61.0% mentioned that they would seek advice from a healthcare worker to vaccinate. Age 55 years and above [vs 18-25 years - Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR): 2.04, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.07-3.87], chronic disease [vs no chronic disease - AOR: 1.72, 95%CI: 1.32-2.25], males [vs females - AOR: 1.84, 95%CI: 1.44-2.36] and being a healthcare worker [vs not being a health worker – AOR: 1.73, 95%CI: 1.34-2.24] were associated with increased likelihood to vaccinate. History of COVID-19 infection [vs no history - AOR: 0.45, 95%CI: 0.25-0.81) and rural residence [vs urban - AOR: 0.64, 95%CI: 0.40-1.01] were associated with reduced likelihood to vaccinate. Conclusion We found half of the participants willing to vaccinate against COVID-19. The majority lacked trust in the government and were uncertain about vaccine effectiveness and safety. The policymakers should consider targeting geographical and demographic groups which were unlikely to vaccinate with vaccine information, education, and communication to improve uptake.