One third vaccinated-but-unboosted U.S. adults concerned about vaccinating kids: survey

WASHINGTON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- While the vast majority of U.S. adults who have been fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 would be likely to recommend vaccinating a child aged 5 to 11, over one third of fully vaccinated adults who have not had a booster shot have reservations about COVID-19 vaccination for a child of the same ages, according to a new survey.

The data analysis by the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania, published Thursday, finds that 93 percent of U.S. adults who are vaccinated and boosted said they would be somewhat or very likely to recommend vaccinating a 5- to 11-year-old child if there were one in their household.

But among vaccinated but not boosted adults, the percentage who would be likely to have such a child vaccinated against COVID-19 drops significantly, to 63 percent.

Adults who are vaccinated but unboosted are much more likely to believe misinformation about vaccination safety than those who are both vaccinated and boosted, the analysis finds.

"Long-lived misconceptions about vaccination are causing some vaccinated but not boosted adults to express reservations about vaccinating 5- to 11-year-olds against COVID-19," said APPC Director Kathleen Hall Jamieson.

"As the public health community works to increase community vaccination levels, reaching these adults with corrective content delivered by trusted individuals should be a priority," Jamieson said.