Two-thirds of Toronto parents ‘certain or somewhat likely’ to get young kids vaccinated against COVID-19, survey says
TORONTO – Nearly two-thirds of parents in Toronto plan on getting their children vaccinated against the novel COVID-19 pandemic, a new survey says.
Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott this week updated the province’s vaccination rate, after a series of reports that young children are particularly vulnerable to contracting the virus.
The vaccination rate in Toronto is now 58.5 per cent, up from the previous rate of 54.7 per cent, a figure confirmed by an online survey conducted for the Canadian Centre for Vaccine Research.
The province plans to offer a COVID-19 vaccine as a potential response to the crisis in the near future. The study surveyed parents of 4,038 children, with 1,818 of them aged two to three.
The online survey, which was released on Thursday, was sent to 1,095 participants. The results were weighted on behalf of Elliott to reflect the demographics of the province.
“This shows the importance of getting this crucial vaccination, particularly in the current circumstances where schools are closed and childcare centres are closed to children,” Elliott said on Tuesday.
The study found that 44 per cent of parents in Toronto plan on getting their children vaccinated against COVID-19. The percentage of parents who responded say a family member is likely to get them vaccinated is 43.4 per cent, while 15.6 per cent say they are certain they will get the virus vaccine for their children, and 8.6 per cent said they will get them for they’re not sure.
The survey suggests a high correlation between parental decision-making and their children’s susceptibility to the epidemic.
“It is interesting that the decision is as likely as the vaccine. We know that vaccines, as a tool, are less effective for children and young children are more sensitive than older children and adults,” Dr. Robert Marles, chair of the Department of Paediatrics at Monash University, told CTVNews.ca.
Toronto has a higher percentage of residents who are both parents and residents, Marles said.
The data does
