Two-thirds of Toronto parents ‘certain or somewhat likely’ to get young kids vaccinated against COVID-19, survey says
A majority of Toronto parents are “somewhat or very likely” to get their children vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a new survey of parents by researchers at Ryerson University.
The project, called WeAre, was conducted between March 2 and 19, 2019 and followed 1,000 mothers and 1,000 fathers to determine the degree to which they thought it was important that their children be vaccinated against the virus.
Of the 3,300 parents who participated in the survey, almost three-quarters — 1,737 — said it was “absolutely” or “somewhat important” that they have their children vaccinated. Only 60 parents said the importance did not factor into their decision.
“The vast majority of our 2,000 respondents have a positive attitude towards the need for universal vaccination that includes for parents their children,” said Sarah Hui, lead researcher on the project and a professor at Ryerson’s school of journalism.
“Many parents, it would seem, simply feel it is their moral responsibility to protect their children from these COVID-19 risks,” she said in a press release. “In other words, they believe that they have a moral obligation to vaccinate their children.”
The survey found that over three-quarters said it was important for their children to vaccinate against the virus (791) and that only about half have already discussed the issue with their doctor (531).
A report issued by the WHO in May 2019 raised alarm bells in that Canada had only recently begun to discuss the issue of immunization with children, according to Hui.
“Despite the fact that an unprecedented global pandemic of COVID-19 has just begun and has spread to virtually all countries in the world, vaccination rates remain low and have increased no further since 2009,” she said. “It is apparent that immunization coverage of children is woefully low in Canada.”
The survey of parents also found that nearly half of Toronto parents — 468 — said they have at least one child who’s “not likely” (i.e. at least one child who has not yet been diagnosed with COVID-19) to
