BackgroundThe rapid development of vaccines in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has provided an effective tool for the management of COVID-19. However, in Africa there has been a poor uptake of COVID-19 vaccines with only 15% vaccine coverage compared to the WHO global target of 70%. One of the important drivers has been vaccine hesitancy, understanding late adopters of vaccination can provide insights into the attitudes, motivations and influences that can enhance vaccine uptake.MethodsBetween January 4 – February 11, 2022, we conducted a survey among adults presenting for their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine almost 12-months after the vaccination program began. Vaccines were free and provided at clinics and outreach centers in Harare, Zimbabwe. The questionnaire assessed environmental and individual factors (attitudes, barriers, motivations, key influencers, and information sources) that influenced the decision to present for vaccination. Baseline socio-demographic data and responses to survey questions were summarized using descriptive statistics. Binary logistic regression models were developed to understand factors associated with vaccine confidence.Results1016 adults were enrolled into the study, 508 (50%) were female, 126 (12.4%) had HIV co-infection. The median age was 30 years (IQR 22 – 39). Women were more likely to have negative views about the COVID-19 vaccine compared to men (OR 1.51 (95%CI 1.16, 1.97, p=0.002). Women compared to men and older adults (≥ 40 years) compared with youth (18-25 years) were more likely to have ‘major concerns’ about vaccines. Most concerns were about safety with 602 (59.3%) concerned about immediate and 520 (51.2%) about long-term health effects of vaccines. People living with HIV (PLWH) were more likely to perceive vaccines as safe (OR 1.71 (95%CI: 1.07, 2.74, p=0.025), effective (1.68 (95%CI: 1.07, 2.64, p=0.026) and to trust regulatory systems for approving vaccines (OR 1.79 (95% CI: 1.11, 2.89, p=0.017) compared to those without HIV. Internet users were less likely to perceive vaccines as safe (OR 0.72 (95% CI: 0.55, 0.95, p=0.021), effective (OR 0.61 (95% CI: 0.47, 0.80, p<0.001) or trust regulatory processes for approving vaccines (OR 0.64 (95% CI: 0.48, 0.85, p=0.002) compared to non-internet users. Social influence was a key factor in the decision to be vaccinated with family members being the primary key influencers for 560 (55.2%) participants. The most important reason for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine today for 715 (70.4%) participants was the protection of individual health. The most trusted source of information regarding the vaccine was the Ministry of Health (79.7%) and the radio, television and social media were the preferred sources for obtaining this information. Social media was a more likely source for youth and those with higher levels of education.ConclusionImproving vaccine coverage will need targeted communication strategies that address negative perceptions of vaccines and associated safety and effectiveness concerns. Leveraging normative behavior as a social motivator for vaccination will be important as close social networks are key influences of vaccination. Traditional media remains important for health communication in Africa and should be strengthened to counter social media-based misinformation that drives concerns about safety and effectiveness particularly among internet users.

Despite sufficient supply, <25% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccine mandates have previously been effective in increasing vaccine uptake. Attitudes to COVID-19 vaccine mandates and vaccines for children in African populations are not well understood. We surveyed late-adopters presenting for COVID-19 vaccination one year after program initiation in Zimbabwe. Logistic regression models were developed to evaluate factors associated with attitudes to mandates. In total, 1016 adults were enrolled; 690 (67.9%) approved of mandating vaccination for use of public spaces, 686 (67.5%) approved of employer mandates, and 796 (78.3%) approved of mandating COVID-19 vaccines for schools. Individuals of lower economic status were twice as likely as high-income individuals to approve of mandates. Further, 743 (73.1%) participants indicated that they were extremely/very likely to accept vaccines for children. Approval of vaccine mandates was strongly associated with perceptions of vaccine safety, effectiveness, and trust in regulatory processes that approved vaccines. Vaccine hesitancy is an important driver of low vaccine coverage in Africa and can be mitigated by vaccine mandates. Overall, participants favored vaccine mandates; however, attitudes to mandates were strongly associated with level of education and socioeconomic status.

Vaccination is one of the most effective methods for preventing morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. Vaccine hesitancy has led to a decrease in vaccine uptake; driven by misinformation, fear, and misperceptions of vaccine safety. Whole inactivated vaccines have been used in one-fifth of the vaccine recipients in Africa, however there are limited real-world data on their safety. We evaluated the reported adverse events and factors associated with reported adverse events following vaccination with whole inactivated COVID-19 vaccines-BBiBP-CorV (Sinopharm) and CoronaVac (Sinovac). A quantitative survey evaluating attitudes and adverse events from vaccination was administered to 1016 adults presenting at vaccination centers. Two follow-up telephone interviews were conducted to determine adverse events after the first and second vaccination dose. Overall, the vaccine was well tolerated; 26.0% and 14.4% reported adverse events after the first and second dose, respectively. The most frequent local and systemic adverse events were pain at the injection site and headaches, respectively. Most symptoms were mild, and no participants required hospitalization. Participants who perceived COVID-19 vaccines as safe or had a personal COVID-19 experience were significantly less likely to report adverse events. Our findings provide data on the safety and tolerability of whole inactivated COVID-19 vaccines in an African population, providing the necessary data to create effective strategies to increase vaccination and support vaccination campaigns.

The rapid development of vaccines in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has provided an effective tool for the management of COVID-19. However, in many African countries there has been a poor uptake of COVID-19 vaccines with only 32.5% first vaccine dose coverage compared to the WHO global target of 70%. As vaccine access improves, one of the important drivers of low uptake has been vaccine hesitancy, driven by levels of confidence, convenience, and complacency. Between 4 January–11 February 2022, we conducted a survey of vaccine late adopters to assess factors that influenced adults in Harare, Zimbabwe to present for their first COVID-19 vaccine dose almost 12 months after the vaccination program began. Of the 1016 adults enrolled, 50% were female and 12.4% had HIV co-infection. Binary logistic regression models were developed to understand factors associated with vaccine confidence. Women were more likely to have negative views about the COVID-19 vaccine compared to men (OR 1.51 (95%CI 1.16, 1.97, p = 0.002). Older adults (≥40 years) compared with youth (18–25 years) were more likely to have ‘major concerns’ about vaccines. When asked about their concerns, 602 (59.3%) considered immediate side effects as a major concern and 520 (52.1%) were concerned about long-term health effects. People living with HIV (PLWH) were more likely to perceive vaccines as safe (OR 1.71 (95%CI: 1.07, 2.74, p = 0.025) and effective (1.68 (95%CI: 1.07, 2.64, p = 0.026). Internet users were less likely to perceive vaccines as safe (OR 0.72 (95% CI: 0.55, 0.95, p = 0.021) compared to non-Internet users; and social media was a more likely source of information for youth and those with higher education. Family members were the primary key influencers for 560 (55.2%) participants. The most important reason for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine for 715 (70.4%) participants was the protection of individual health. Improving vaccine coverage will need targeted communication strategies that address negative perceptions of vaccines and associated safety and effectiveness concerns. Leveraging normative behavior as a social motivator for vaccination will be important, as close social networks are key influences of vaccination.