Preparing for A COVID-19 Vaccine: A Mixed Methods Study of Vaccine Hesitant Parents.

This study investigated vaccine acceptance of putative COVID-19 vaccines among a national sample of vaccine hesitant parents. Vaccine hesitancy and politicization of vaccine development has led to a pronounced distrust of COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. A total of 1,381 vaccine-hesitant parents participated in this study. Participants indicated a general unwillingness to vaccinate their children (M = 3.55, SD = 2.13) and themselves (M = 3.58, SD = 2.16) when a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available. More educated parents were more likely to plan to vaccinate themselves [F(5, 533) = 9.93, p < .05] and their children [F(5, 533) = 10.278, p < .05]. Understanding vaccine hesitant parents offers crucial insights as a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available for the general public and as we wait for a vaccine to be approved for pediatric use.