Published on November 16th 2023, Stephanie Davey was invited to was invited by Vaccines Today to discuss her research on one of the most pressing questions in public health:
Why do some parents choose not to give their children the COVID-19 vaccine?

In her study, Stephanie explored this through the lens of the Health Belief Model, surveying parents through Facebook, Reddit, and other online communities. The research revealed a surprising and important finding: many parents who skipped the COVID-19 vaccine for their children were not anti-vaccine. Most had previously followed vaccine guidance without hesitation – and 96% had been vaccinated themselves, yet only 63% had vaccinated their children.

Stephanie found that by the time the paediatric COVID-19 vaccine was rolled out, parents’ perceptions had shifted. The disease was no longer seen as severe in children. Some questioned whether the vaccine provided long-term protection, while others weighed practical barriers like time off work or mild side effects they’d experienced themselves. These weren’t decisions based on conspiracy theories, but rather on evolving perceptions of risk, benefit and necessity.

As vaccination programmes evolve, her findings highlight the need for evidence-based communication that reflects how public attitudes shift over time. You can read the full interview, via this link: https://www.vaccinestoday.eu/stories/childhood-covid-19-vaccination-will-it-shape-parents-decisions-on-routine-vaccines/