Winter wellbeing and vaccine hesitancy
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In October 2023, Healthwatch Westminster received funding from the North West London Integrated Care System (ICS) to support them in their Winter Pressures project. The aim of the project was to share key messages and raise local awareness about eligibility for Covid-19 and influenza vaccines, accessing appropriate health services at the right time, and keeping well over the winter. Healthwatch wanted to understand reasons for vaccine hesitancy. They undertook a number of engagement events in places designed to reach people experiencing higher rates of deprivation. They spoke to 70 people.
Most people liked the ICS leaflets about taking up vaccination.
Half of the people they spoke to were vaccine hesitant. This group could be split into two:
people who had previously had previously positive views of vaccines, but had since changed their mind, due to feeling pressured to have the Covid vaccine, regretting their initial decision to have it; not trusting the booster or having side effects from having the Covid vaccines.
People who had never taken up a vaccine, due to scepticism about the effects or never having either flu or Covid-19. Three vaccine hesitant respondents who had children under the age of 18 stated that they also had no intention of having their children vaccinated.
Most people were aware of NHS 111 to access urgent care. Over half of these had used it at least once.
Under half kept over the counter medications at home. Most of those who did not keep any over-the-counter remedies said that they preferred only having prescribed medications at home.
The report contains four recommendations to improve vaccine hesitancy, mainly around outreach and co-producing communications.