Covid Vaccine refusal in Reading
Download (PDF 567.89 KB)Summary of report content
Healthwatch Reading was commissioned by the Berkshire West Vaccination Action Group to understand why Reading has lower Covid vaccination rates than neighbouring areas particularly amongst younger, working age adults and certain ethnic minority groups. They undertook a survey to which 163 people responded and facilitated online discussions on Facebook with 86 people.
- 79% of survey respondents had not had any dose of a Covid vaccine
- 68% said they hadn’t come forward for a Covid vaccine booster
- 76% said concerns about vaccine side-effects had put them off coming forward
- 34% said they hadn’t come forward because Covid was now a mild disease
- 28% said they thought they were ‘covered’ by previously having been infected with Covid
- 71% said their mind was made up about not getting vaccinated
- 15% said more information about vaccine safety could change their mind.
Most people who took part in Facebook discussions were against vaccinations. The main points debated in online discussions were:
- Whether it was a vaccine or a gene therapy
- Young healthy people don’t need the vaccine
- Getting a vaccine should be like wearing a seatbelt
- Questioning the true number of people who have died directly from Covid