Experts were surprised and mildly troubled by a poll that found 35 per cent of Kiwis are unlikely to get a Covid-19 vaccine immediately - but they expect the rate will improve across 2021. University of Otago epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker said the 35 per cent vaccine reluctance number in the Ministry of Health's December 2020 poll was higher than he would expect right now but not necessarily cause for concern. "Because it's a new virus, it's a new vaccine, I think it's understandable some people say they would like to wait to see how it goes." Victoria University of Wellington clinical psychologist Dr Dougal Sutherland said he was not particularly concerned about 11 per cent totally reluctant to a vaccine, but the 24 per cent "unlikely" to try a vaccine immediately was "troubling". "A lot of the information on side effects I think is almost being weaponised by people who have an anti-vaccine agenda."

Source: New Zealand Herald March 06, 2021 08:26 UTC