The comparative analysis of population attitude to vaccination against COVID-19 infection in foreign countries and in Russia

The COVID-19 vaccination is considered as decisive factor in termination of pandemic. Hence, the vaccine development and clinical trials are carried on in an accelerated rate. At that, success of any mass immunization program, including its global application, directly depends on population willingness to be vaccinated. The purpose of the study is to investigate opinions about COVID-19 vaccination in various countries and to identify factors contributing to or hindering to increasing commitment to immunization. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The search of relevant data was implemented through such bibliographic databases as eLIBRARY.RU, PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus and Google Scholar. Moreover, the primary research data concerning opinions of Russians about coronavirus infection vaccination was analyzed. RESULTS: The cross-country study of opinions about COVID-19 vaccination permitted to identify main factors impacting degree of readiness to mass immunization, including fear and personal perceptions of risk of COVID-19 infection, attitudes to influenza vaccination and fear of vaccination, mainly due to disinformation about efficiency, efficacy and safety of the vaccine. CONCLUSION: The conclusion was made that public opinion surveys implemented in various countries are important because they provide priceless information for implementing public policy targeted to improve health care support, in particular to develop effective vaccination campaigns against COVID-19, identifying high-risk groups, socially and economically vulnerable individuals for whom vaccination is to be paramount and free, and also setting vaccination fees for other groups based on their readiness to pay.