Background: Arabs have been reported to exhibit a high percentage of resistance to the COVID-19 vaccine; these rates were comparatively higher than the global rate. The low level of public acceptance of COVID-19 vaccinations is most likely a result of misconceptions. According to reports from Egypt and many other Arab countries, the main obstacles to mass immunization campaigns are worry over severe post-vaccination side effects and incorrect information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine.
Objectives: The current study's objectives were to assess the level of COVID-19 vaccination acceptability and identify factors that influence it among hospital attendants in Qena City.
Patients and methods: 450 people who were at least 18 years old participated in a cross-sectional study. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect the data. The participants were split into two categories: those who decided to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and those who decided not to.
Results: Our study's subjects had a 50.9% acceptance rate for the COVID-19 vaccination. Age, marital status, the belief that immunity will develop after receiving the COVID-19 vaccination, and trust in the vaccine's safety and efficacy were the key determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance.
Conclusion: Low levels of COVID-19 vaccination acceptability have been observed among the subjects in our study. Confidence in the safety of the vaccine was the main predictor of COVID-19 vaccine adoption. Therefore, there is a need for intervention that focuses on providing the general population with enough knowledge about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines.
Keywords: COVID-19 vaccine; Acceptance; Qena; Egypt.