BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
More than a year after the announcement of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as a pandemic on 11 March 2020, the disease continues to cause a global public health catastrophe with continued infections, death, and severe economic and social consequences (Sophia, 2020). Over 217 million individuals have been infected with the virus causing severe acute respiratory syndrome-2 (SARS-CoV-2) as of August 2021, resulting in over 4.5 million deaths. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic is projected to continue causing widespread illness and mortality and disrupting society and economies worldwide (Madani, 2021).
Although several preventative and therapeutic methods have been taken, the newly produced vaccinations have been demonstrated to be successful in mitigating COVID-19's impact (Madani, 2021). Indeed, non-pharmaceutical efforts including as quarantine, social isolation, mask wearing, and others played a significant role in preventing the pandemic's spread. However, the incidence of new infections and mortality continues to climb. Several vaccinations have been developed, with some licensed and others undergoing clinical testing.
Notably, the Pfizer/BioNtech, AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson Janssen COVID-19 vaccines are licensed for emergency use in a number of nations (Johns Hopkins University 2020). Regardless of the disparate distribution of vaccinations across high-income and low-income countries, vaccine acceptance continues to be an important topic of discussion for the successful immunization of the public.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) of Nigeria has authorized the use of the AstraZeneca1 (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) vaccine in the nation (Davis, 2020), along with a number of others. The Nigerian government has received multiple batches of the vaccine through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility (COVAX), a collaboration between the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Bank, and the World Health Organization. The COVAX is a component of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, a global cooperation to expedite the development, manufacture, and equitable access of COVID-19 diagnostics, treatments, and vaccinations (Davis, 2020). Since then, the Nigerian National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has begun immunization in stages with priority groups, beginning with frontline healthcare professionals. The organization has also launched an online self-registration site to implement a nationwide immunization program (Johns Hopkins University 2020).
Acceptance of COVID-19 vaccinations in Nigeria is crucial for containing the COVID-19 epidemic and restoring normal societal functioning (Sophia 2020). Acceptance of COVID-19 vaccinations is necessary for high uptake; if not addressed, low acceptance might impede uptake. This has been the situation with past pandemic vaccinations, for example, the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic vaccine (Madani 2021). (Madani 2021).
According to Johns Hopkins University (2020), as with other vaccines, numerous factors have the potential to influence COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and uptake, including parental recommendations, efforts to eradicate the virus and end the pandemic, university recommendations, family decisions, misinformation, age, and practical considerations. While COVID-19 vaccine acceptance has been high in many countries, there are advantages to understanding factors that may play a larger role in the acceptance of new vaccines developed for novel viruses and pandemics, particularly in the period prior to vaccine booster approval, when awareness may be low and individuals may be forming attitudes, beliefs, and intentions that influence later vaccination behavior (Davis, 2020). Furthermore, early evidence on facilitators and barriers to COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Nigeria can inform health authorities’ and other vaccine stakeholders’ responses to hesitancy and refusal of vaccines throughout the life of a vaccination program, for example to support acceptance of COVID-19 booster vaccines, the next generation of COVID-19 vaccines, or vaccination of groups eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines later than others, for example children (Egbuniwe, 2020). Such evidence can also help authorities maintain sensitivity to people’s questions and concerns about COVID-19 vaccines, and respond in ways that build trust in and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines, or other novel vaccines in the future hence the need for this study.
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