The Relationship between Searches for COVID-19 Vaccines and Dynamics of Vaccinated People in Poland: An Infodemiological Study

Anna Kłak (), Konrad Furmańczyk, Paulina Maria Nowicka, Małgorzata Mańczak, Agnieszka Barańska, Urszula Religioni, Anna Siekierska, Martyna Ambroziak and Magdalena Chłopek
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Anna Kłak: Department of Environmental Hazards Prevention, Allergology and Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1a Street, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
Konrad Furmańczyk: Department of Environmental Hazards Prevention, Allergology and Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1a Street, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
Paulina Maria Nowicka: Department of Environmental Hazards Prevention, Allergology and Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1a Street, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
Małgorzata Mańczak: Department of Gerontology, Public Health and Didactics, National Institute of Geriatrics, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Spartanska 1 Street, 02-637 Warsaw, Poland
Agnieszka Barańska: Department of Medical Informatics and Statistics with e-Health Lab, Medical University of Lublin, K. Jaczewskiego 5 Street, 20-059 Lublin, Poland
Urszula Religioni: Collegium of Business Administration, Warsaw School of Economics, 02-513 Warsaw, Poland
Anna Siekierska: Department of Public Health, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Sobieskiego 9 Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland
Martyna Ambroziak: Graduate of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 61 Street, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
Magdalena Chłopek: Graduate of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 61 Street, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 20, 1-12

Abstract: Background: Google Trends has turned out to be an appropriate tool for evaluating correlations and prognostic modelling regarding infectious diseases. The possibility of selecting a vaccine against COVID-19 has increased social interest in particular vaccines. The objective of this study was to show dependencies between the frequency of searches for COVID-19 vaccinations and the number of vaccinated people in Poland, along with epidemiological data. Methods: Data were collected regarding Google searches for COVID-19 vaccines, the number of people in Poland vaccinated against COVID-19, the number of new cases, and the number of deaths due to COVID-19. Data were filtered from 27 December 2020 to 1 September 2021. Results: The number of new vaccinations smoothed per million correlated most strongly with searches for the word ‘Pfizer’ in Google Trends (Kendall’s tau = 0.46, p < 0.001). The number of new deaths correlated most strongly with the search phrase ‘AstraZeneca’ (Kendall’s tau = 0.46, p < 0.001). The number of new cases per million correlated most strongly with searches for ‘AstraZeneca’ (Kendall’s tau = 0.49, p < 0.001). The maximum daily number of searches ranged between 110 and 130. A significant interest in COVID-19 vaccines was observed from February to June 2021, i.e., in the period of a considerable increase in the number of new cases and new deaths due to COVID-19. Conclusions: A significant increase in interest in COVID-19 vaccines was observed from February to June 2021, i.e., in the period of gradually extended access to vaccinations, as well as a considerable increase in the number of new cases and new deaths due to COVID-19. The use of Google Trends with relevant keywords and a comparison with the course of the COVID-19 pandemic facilitates evaluation of the relationship between the frequency and types of searches for COVID-19 vaccines and epidemiological data.

Keywords: COVID-19; epidemiology; infodemiology; SARS-CoV-2; vaccine; vaccinations; immunisation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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