Coronavirus vaccine
Coronavirus vaccineiStock

A new study has shown that the vast majority of Israeli parents want to vaccinate their children, Israel Hayom reported.

The study, led by the Technion's Professor Ayelet Baram-Tsabari, the Midaat organization, and Dr. Arga Atad from IDC Herzliya.

The study showed that most Israeli parents intend to vaccinate their children against COVID-19, and just 6.3% have already decided not to give their children the vaccine.

The study included 1,118 Hebrew-speaking parents of children ages 12-15, who were asked whether they would vaccinate their children when the COVID-19 vaccine is approved and available in Israel.

A majority (57.6%) stated their desire to vaccinate their children, while approximately one-third said they have not yet decided, and just 6.3% said that they have already decided against the vaccine. Approximately 450 parents were asked what encouraged them to give the vaccination, and the responses, in descending order, were concern that their children will contract coronavirus, a desire to acquire Green Passports for everyone, and social responsibility.

While many parents would like Green Passports for their children, the vast majority (95%) expressed opposition to the idea of intentional infection as a means of achieving this goal.

"The vast majority of parents who responded to the survey are interested in vaccinating their children against coronavirus," Prof. Baram-Tsabari said.

"The parents who are planning to immunize, and those for whom social responsibility and the acquisition of a Green Passport are important, have different considerations than those parents who are more reluctant and who are disturbed by questions of faith. It's important that the decision makers pay attention to these differences."

"Decision makers and the Health Ministry must provide the parents with the information about the vaccine, with complete transparency," Dr. Atad emphasized. "As we saw in the study, the question of faith in the medical and scientific establishments, as well as in the companies developing the vaccines, is essential to parents' considerations regarding whether to vaccinate their children."

"The majority of parents want reliable information on health issues, and their decisions are made accordingly," Dr. Itamar Netzer, a member of Midaat, said. He added that it is "important" to "respond in a serious and honest fashion to the worries of parents who are reluctant to vaccinate their children, especially in the special period we are in."