Perception and Acceptance of Using Different Generic Types of COVID-19 Vaccine, the “Mix-and-Match” Strategy, in Saudi Arabia: Cross-Sectional Web-Based Survey

Afnan Alqurashi, Enas A. Sindy, Heba Dosh, Sumaya Z. Khayat, Lujain M. Alqarna, Wafa M. Sodagar, Mohammed Samannodi, Hassan Alwafi, Emad Salawati, Mohammed A. Almatrafi, Rakan Ekram, Rehab M. Bagadood, Radi Alsafi and Hamza M. Assaggaf ()
Additional contact information
Afnan Alqurashi: Independent Researcher, Makkah 4192, Saudi Arabia
Enas A. Sindy: Collage of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24382, Saudi Arabia
Heba Dosh: Collage of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24382, Saudi Arabia
Sumaya Z. Khayat: Collage of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24382, Saudi Arabia
Lujain M. Alqarna: Collage of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24382, Saudi Arabia
Wafa M. Sodagar: Collage of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24382, Saudi Arabia
Mohammed Samannodi: Collage of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24382, Saudi Arabia
Hassan Alwafi: Collage of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24382, Saudi Arabia
Emad Salawati: Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
Mohammed A. Almatrafi: Department of Pediatrics, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24382, Saudi Arabia
Rakan Ekram: School of Public Health and Health Informatics, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24382, Saudi Arabia
Rehab M. Bagadood: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24382, Saudi Arabia
Radi Alsafi: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24382, Saudi Arabia
Hamza M. Assaggaf: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24382, Saudi Arabia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 21, 1-10

Abstract: Background: Soon after the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, a pharmaceutical company expressed rapid interest in developing a safe and effective vaccine candidate to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infections. The FDA approved the Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Janssen vaccines. Here, we investigated the attitude and acceptance of using different generic types of COVID-19 vaccines in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study using an online survey conducted in Saudi Arabia from the 19th of October to the 6th of December 2021. The questionnaire was distributed using social media platforms such as Twitter, WhatsApp, and Facebook. The inclusion criteria to participate in this study were adults who live in Saudi Arabia (Saudis or non-Saudis) and had two doses of COVID-19 vaccinations. Result: 3486 participants were included in this study, and 67.5% of the participants had side effects after the first dose. Similarly, 66.7% of the study participants had side effects after administering the second dose. Our data showed that most participants were unsure if the heterologous COVID-19 vaccination could cause severe side effects. In addition, 47.6% of the participants refused to receive a different generic type of COVID-19 vaccine due to fear of health problems. However, most participants obtained information regarding COVID-19 vaccination from the Saudi Ministry of Health. Conclusions: We found a low level of acceptance for receiving different generic types of vaccines if the participants had a choice. Therefore, plans should focus on increasing the acceptance level among the Saudi population through official platforms such as the Saudi Ministry of Health and private clinics.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19 vaccine; mix-and-match (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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