Perception about COVID-19 vaccine among patients at the federal medical centre, Yenagoa, South-South Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20211865Keywords:
COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccine, Perception, WuhanAbstract
Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative organism of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is a respiratory disease that was first identified in December, 2019 in Wuhan, China. Objective was to determine the perception of the COVID-19 among patients at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
Methods: This study was carried out at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa between 4th January and 15th February, 2021. It was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The study population consisted of 1,000 consecutive patients that presented to the various out-patients departments of the hospital. Written informed consent was obtained. The data were collected with a predesigned questionnaire, and were analysed using statistical software (SPSS for windows® version 23, SPSS Inc.; Chicago, USA).
Results: Out of 1,000 participants, only a quarter of the participants (24.6%) indicated willingness to take the COVID-19 vaccine when available in Nigeria. About one-tenth of the participants have had loss of sense of taste and smell (11.7%), and think they possibly may have been infected with the COVID-19 (10.8%) in the recent past. Among those that were unwilling to take the COVID-19 vaccine, 14.2%, 9.0% and 7.5% thought that hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin and septrin respectively, are safe alternatives to the vaccine.
Conclusions: Although it is known that hypothetical choices may not always reflect real life decision, it is important for policy makers and stakeholders to pay more attention on health education and campaign, targeted at addressing the misconception about COVID-19 vaccine.
References
Allagoa DO, Oriji PC, Obagah L, Tekenah ES, Dambo N, Atemie G. Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards COVID-19 among pregnant women in a tertiary hospital in South-South, Nigeria. Int J Res Rep Gynaecol. 2020;3(3):35-41.
Coronavirus: Which countries have confirmed cases? Aljazeera. Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2020/09/20/coronavirus-which-countries-have-confirmed-cases/. Accessed on 28 November 2020.
Shigemura J, Ursano RJ, Morganstein JC, Benedek DM. Public responses to the novel 2019 coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Japan: Mental health consequences and target populations. Psych Clin Neurosci. 2020;74:277-83.
Nigeria overview. Corona Tracker. Available at: https://www.coronatracker.com/country/nigeria/. Accessed on 11 February 2021.
Amzat J, Aminu K, Kolo VI, Akinyele AA, Ogundairo JA, Danjibo MC. Coronavirus outbreak in Nigeria: Burden and socio-medical response during the first 100 days. Int J Infect Dis. 2020;98:218-24.
Piltch-Loeb R, DiClemente R. The vaccine uptake continuum: applying social science theory to shift vaccine hesitancy. Vaccines (Basel). 2020;8(1):76.
Nigeria, Cuba to collaborate on COVID-19 Vaccine Production. Daily Trust. Available at: https://dailytrust.com/nigeria-cuba-to-collaborate-on-covid-19-vaccine-production. Accessed on 21 February 2021.
FG to partner with Cuba on COVID-19 vaccines, says Onu. The Guardian. Available at: https://guardian.ng/news/fg-to-partner-with-cuba-on-covid-19-vaccines-says-onu/. Accessed on 21 February 2021.
Which countries have reported new variants of Covid-19. Aljazeera. Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/12/31/which-countries-have-reported-new-variants-of-covid-19. Accessed on 11 February 2021.
The COVID-19 vaccine race- weekly update. GAVI- the vaccine alliance. Available at: https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/covid-19-vaccine-race. Accessed on 26 February 2021.
Six in ten children are immune to the COVID-19 virus despite never being infected by it. GAVI- the vaccine alliance. Available at: https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/six-ten-children-are-immune-covid-19-virus-despite-never-being-infected-it?fbclid=IwAR3fHVKcXUvLjV2UaXpEQVlGZiP6kbxYsrztCfPk_OE1J-VZXbybFMOg7eo. Accessed on 10 February 2021.
‘Is it safe to have more than one type of COVID vaccine?’ and other questions answered by an immunologist. GAVI- the vaccine alliance. Available at: https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/it-safe-have-more-one-type-covid-vaccine-and-other-questions-answered-immunologist?fbclid=IwAR20i-2evOKwBgMYcjWBTVaxlXRNIFmyCsDeh9xz3Hs4wFU4_am99KjQgV4. Accessed on 11 February 2021
Araoye MO. Subjects Selection. In: Research Methodology with statistics for Health and Social sciences. Ilorin, Nigeria: Nathadex publishers; 2003:115-129.
John RK, Claudia RS, Gabriel R, Sarah D, Ulrika S, Carole D. Predictors of Covid-19 vaccine acceptance across time and countries. medRxiv. 2020.
Olomefa CO, Soyemi RV, Udomah BF, Owolabi AO, Ajumoke EG, Igbokwe MC, et al. Prediction of uptake of a potential Covid-19 vaccine among Nigerian adults. J Vaccines. 2021;12:442-5.
Yulan L, Zhijian H, Haridah A, Mahmoud D. Understanding COVID-19 vaccine demand and hesitancy: A nationwide online survey in China. PLOS Neglect Trop Dis. 2020;14(12):eooo8961
COVID-19 vaccine doses shipped by the COVAX Facility head to Ghana, marking beginning of global rollout. Unicef. Available at: https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/covid-19-vaccine-doses-shipped-covax-facility-head-ghana-marking-beginning-global. Accessed on 26 February 2021.
Thunstrom L, Ashworth M, Finnoff D, Newbold S. Hesitancy Towards a COVID-19 Vaccine and Prospects for Herd Immunity, 2020. Available at: SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3593098. Accessed on 24 February 2021.
Babalola OE, Bode CO, Ajayi AA, Alakaloko FM. Ivermectin shows clinical benefits in mild to moderate Covid 19: A randomised controlled double blind dose response study in Lagos. medRxiv. 2020