Nearly half of Greater Cincinnati parents of teens say their child is vaccinated for COVID-19, according to Interact for Health’s latest survey. About 1 in 4 parents of children ages 12 to 17 indicated that they may still choose to get shots.
Why this is important:
Vaccination of children and teens is an important measure in reducing the spread of COVID-19 in the community. Understanding the attitudes of parents about vaccination with public opinion data can help inform public health messaging and outreach.
As part of the #GiveKidsaShot regional initiative, Interact for Health is launching a digital media effort to increase vaccine rates in school-age children.
Partners include the Health Collaborative and Cincinnati Children’s and messages aim to remind Greater Cincinnati families of the benefits of vaccination by using testimonials from local kids who have received their COVID-19 vaccines and refers families to the Health Collaborative’s online vaccine locator.
Key data takeaways:
• Among parents with a child between the ages of 12 and 17:
o 46% report their child has already been vaccinated.
o 7% report their child definitely WILL get vaccinated.
o 22% report their child definitely WILL NOT get vaccinated
o 25% haven’t decided whether their child will get vaccinated.
• 60% of parents have talked to their child’s pediatrician about the COVID-19 vaccine.
o Of those, 78% say their pediatrician recommended the vaccine for their child.
• 54% of parents feel they have enough information about the COVID-19 vaccine in children.
“We are still seeing children hospitalized with COVID, as well as children dealing with the secondary impact of the pandemic,” said Patty Manning, MD, chief of staff at Cincinnati Children’s. “Our medical center has vaccinated tens of thousands of adults and children so far, and we continue to hold vaccine clinics at locations throughout the region, Cincinnati Children’s strongly encourages parents to get their kids vaccinated. That will protect our kids so they can return to the activities that are so important in keeping them healthy.”
“COVID-19 continues to be a serious health concern for young people in our community,” said Ross Meyer, VP of Strategy for Interact for Health. “But we have effective strategies to prevent the spread of the virus, like having those children who are eligible get vaccinated. More importantly, vaccination is a pathway for kids to get back to doing things they enjoy like birthday parties, sports, and gatherings with friends or family. The #GiveKidsaShot campaign puts the spotlight on local kids, letting them share why they are excited to be vaccinated.”
For additional survey data, visit https://www.interactforhealth.org/whats-new/349/covid-19-vaccines-and-children/.