Key research findings:
- Vaccine acceptance continues to improve – steady
increase in vaccine acceptance, 69% up from 63% in three
months
- Urgency has increased – those waiting to get a
vaccination until more people have had their first one dropped 8%
in three months, from 50% to 42%
- Vaccination a possibility for most – just 9% of
unvaccinated respondents say nothing can persuade them to receive
the vaccine
HONG KONG, July 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A sense of
community spirit and duty to society are core to the success of
global vaccination programs, according to a report published today
by Cigna's International Markets business. The third edition of the
COVID-19 Vaccine Perception Study shows collective
responsibility is the main reason people reported as the motivation
to get vaccinated. The study also revealed a positive shift in
vaccination rates among respondents, which increased from 25%
in April to 31% in May, complementing the growing willingness to
get vaccinated, up from 63% in March to 69% in May.
The research shows vaccine hesitancy, or a "wait and see"
approach to vaccination, has dropped significantly over the past
three months. The first wave of research in March showed 50% of
respondents waiting to get a vaccine. This reduced by 3% in April
and an additional 5% in May, showing a growing confidence in
vaccines.
The study surveyed more than 13,000 people across 11 markets and
aims to highlight perceptions and attitudes towards COVID-19
vaccines around the world.
Vaccination programs make rapid progress in several
markets
The research shows vaccination programs continue to make rapid
progress. In just one month, vaccination rates amongst respondents
increased from 25% to 31%, and the markets with the highest rates
continue to be the UK (68% up from 60%), UAE (62% up from 58%) and
USA (57% up from 49%). In other
markets, there has been a dramatic increase over the past month,
including in Singapore, a 13%
increase (29% to 42%) and Spain, a
12% increase (16% to 28%). Mainland China saw an 11% increase (30% up to 41%) and
has now administered over 1.2 billion shots.
Jason Sadler, president, Cigna
International Markets said: "The findings from our third
COVID-19 Vaccine Perception Study highlight some incredible
progress in global vaccination programs. However, the study
underlines the importance of continued support and encouragement
for vaccination programs to help build confidence in those yet to
receive vaccinations and to ultimately achieve herd immunity. Cigna
has been consistent in our support of vaccinations, which we
believe is the best way to address the challenge of COVID-19 as a
global community."
He added: "We encourage people to seek trustworthy sources of
information about vaccines, such as updates from your local health
authority, and to request a vaccination."
Notable difference in attitudes between vaccinated and
unvaccinated
The largest gulf in opinion between those who have been
vaccinated and those who have not, relates to perceptions about
vaccine safety. Although both vaccinated and unvaccinated people
had similar levels of anxiety around contracting COVID-19 (54% and
57% respectively) and transmitting it to others (73% versus 75%),
perceived risks of side effects and safety, as well as a lack of
access, are slowing vaccine uptake. Globally, 9% of those yet to
receive a vaccine were adamant that nothing could persuade them to
take the COVID-19 vaccine.
Government bodies most trusted source of information
Across all markets and all generations, the findings show the
two most trusted sources for vaccine information continue to be
government bodies and doctors. Vaccinated respondents are more
likely to trust information from government bodies (73% vs. 63%
respectively), doctors (66% vs. 57%) and private healthcare
insurance providers (43% vs. 38%), compared to unvaccinated
respondents. In contrast, unvaccinated people are more likely to
trust information from TV news, friends and family and social media
than those who have been vaccinated. The findings continue to show
that despite the perception that social media would have a
widespread negative influence, only 5% of people chose social media
as their most trusted source of information on COVID-19
vaccines.
Download the report
Click here to download the full COVID-19 Vaccine Perception
Study Report – 3rd edition
Click here to download the full COVID-19 Vaccine Perception
Study Report – 2nd edition
Click here to download the full COVID-19 Vaccine Perception
Study Report – 1st edition
Research methodology:
Cigna partnered with You Gov, the international research data
and analytics group, who engaged with 13,092 respondents between
12th and 20th May 2021. The
respondents were a representative sample aged 18 or over, 52% male
and 48% female, from across 11 markets: Mainland China,
Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, South
Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, UAE, UK and US.
About Cigna
Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) is a global health service company
dedicated to improving the health, well-being and peace of mind of
those we serve. Cigna delivers choice, predictability,
affordability and access to quality care through integrated
capabilities and connected, personalized solutions that advance
whole person health. All products and services are provided
exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna
Corporation, Evernorth companies or their affiliates, and Express
Scripts companies or their affiliates. Such products and services
include an integrated suite of health services, such as medical,
dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, vision, supplemental benefits,
and other related products. Cigna maintains sales capability in
over 30 countries and jurisdictions, and has more than 190 million
customer relationships throughout the world. To learn more about
Cigna®, including links to follow us on Facebook or
Twitter, visit www.cigna.com.
Logo -
https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1246896/image_5010983_22394327_Logo.jpg