Biopharmaceutical industry urges younger people to get vaccinated for COVID-19 as research shows overall appetite remains high

Biopharmaceutical industry urges younger people to get vaccinated for COVID-19 as research shows overall appetite remains high 

• Nine out of 10 have either been vaccinated for COVID-19 or intend to get vaccinated
• Among people aged between 18 and 34 who have not been vaccinated, 76% will choose to get protected
• Vaccination uptake across all age cohorts will help to protect the community, especially with the Delta variant’s increased transmissibility
• Vaccines-makers are searching for answers to variants of concern as fight against COVID-19 continues

The international research-based biopharmaceutical industry has urged younger people to get vaccinated for COVID-19 to slow the transmission of the disease and protect the population.

New research, carried out by Ipsos MRBI for the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA), showed that 76% of people aged between 18 and 34 said they would take a vaccine for the disease. That figure excludes those who have already been vaccinated for COVID-19. Last month, the same figure was 78% and, in April and May, it was 77%.

Overall, 89% of people either intend to get vaccinated for COVID-19 or have already received a vaccine for the disease, according to the research. That figure has remained steady in recent months.

The results show that 19% of people generally will take a COVID-19 vaccine. But when combined with the cohort that has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, or 70% of the sample*, that number rises to 89%. Just 6% overall say they will refuse a COVID-19 vaccine and 4% are unsure.

The results come as over 80% of adults have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Ireland is among the fastest countries in Europe to vaccinate its population. People aged between 18 and 24 are the latest group that can register online to get a COVID-19 vaccine. People aged between 18 and 34, or those over 50, can get vaccinated for COVID-19 in most pharmacies.

The industry urged continued uptake of COVID-19 vaccines, including among younger people.

Bernard Mallee, Director of Communications and Advocacy at IPHA, said: “The rising prevalence of the highly transmissible Delta variant means more of the population needs to be protected to move us closer to overall community protection. Our data shows very significant public appetite to get vaccinated for COVID-19. People aged between 18 and 34 are slightly more hesitant about getting vaccinated for the disease. We urge them to get vaccinated because that way we can maximise protection in the population. At the same time, the industry urges continued adherence to public health advice.

“Vaccines-makers are continuing to surge global production of COVID-19 vaccines, investing in their own sites and forming hundreds of partnerships and collaborations with other suitable manufacturing sites. At the same time, our industry is working hard to generate responses for variants of concern as the fight against COVID-19 continues.”

Vaccination is a global health and development success story, saving millions of lives every year. We have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life-threatening diseases, helping people of all ages live longer, healthier lives. Vaccines administered in Ireland already help to prevent 13 diseases including measles, meningitis and whooping cough. The World Health Organisation estimates that vaccines save up to three million lives every year.

With the exception of clean, safe drinking water, vaccination is one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions ever. Vaccines have ridded the world of smallpox, driven polio to the brink of eradication, and virtually eliminated measles, diphtheria and rubella in many parts of the world.

ENDS

About The Survey

Ipsos MRBI conducted 1,004 telephone interviews with adults aged over 18 between July 1^st and July 15^th, 2021. The sample was nationally representative for age, gender, geography and social class. *These figures reflect a point-in-time measure of COVID-19 vaccine uptake and they are accurate for the survey fieldwork period. However, the proportion that has received a COVID-19 vaccine is liable to change rapidly as rollout of the vaccination programme progresses.