One in four parents will not get their child vaccinated against Covid, poll finds

The poll found that 12 per cent intend to get their child vaccinated but with only one of the two recommended doses

A mother looks on as her daughter gets a Covid-19 vaccination in Virginia on 13 May, 2021. A new poll has found that a quarter of adults in the United States do not intend to get their children vaccinated against Covid-19 (AFP via Getty Images)

A new poll has found that a quarter of adults in the United States do not intend to get their children vaccinated against Covid-19 because many of them are waiting for more research to prove the safety and effectiveness of the shots.

A Harris poll, conducted between 11-13 June among 2,015 adults in the US, found that of the 25 per cent who do not intend to get their children vaccinated, 51 per cent say they are waiting for more research to prove the safety and effectiveness (37 per cent) of these vaccines.

As many as 6 in 10 parents, or 63 per cent, either intend to get their child aged 12-17 vaccinated or they have already done so.

Twelve per cent of those surveyed said they intend to get their child vaccinated but with only one of the two recommended doses.

An analysis from Public Health England released Monday said that two doses of Covid-19 vaccines are highly effective against hospitalisation from the Delta variant of the coronavirus, which was first identified in India.

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has classified Delta as a ‘variant of concern’ and estimated that it accounted for 9.9 per cent of cases in the US as of 5 June. Health experts have warned that Delta could be the dominant variant in the US soon.

CDC has also urged American parents to get their teenage children vaccinated.

Citing a new report that showed the number of teenagers hospitalised with Covid-19 increased in April, CDC head Dr Rochelle Walensky earlier this month appealed to parents and relatives to talk to teens about the importance of vaccination and other prevention strategies.

Dr Walensky said “vaccination is our way out of this pandemic.”

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was earlier authorised for use among those 16 and older, and was last month recommended for 12 to 15 year olds. Moderna said its Covid-19 vaccine is safe and highly effective in children aged 12 to 17 and the company last week approached the US Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorisation.