Mixed feelings over jab
Survey urges collaborative approach
A SURVEY by the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM) has found that women who were more literate and well informed were having mixed feelings about taking the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The “Rapid Assessment on Fijian Women’s Perceptions of the COVID-19 Vaccine” also found that 10.9 per cent of the 574 women surveyed were leaning towards saying no to the jab.
The survey was conducted in June with support from the Australian government through the
We Rise Coalition in partnership with Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development.
“It is extremely concerning that the Fijian women’s perceptions around the COVID-19 vaccine is ranging from mixed to negative,” the report stated.
“This needs to be urgently addressed through collaborative approaches taking into consideration the health seeking behaviour of women.”
FWRM executive director Nalini Singh said a total of 61 per cent of respondents held an undergraduate degree and 23 per cent a postgraduate qualification.
“Less than 15 per cent held qualifications lower than a degree.
“This means that many of the respondents were literate and likely to be more informed about the vaccine influencing their decision to get vaccinated.”
She said in the midst of the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, vaccination was a critical tool to help curb deaths.
Ms Singh said there were barriers to the vaccine rollout and these included gender, level of education, economic welfare, family influences, access to information and services.
She said while more than half of respondents were determined to get vaccinated, the research found that 51.5 per cent considered taking herbal and traditional medicine if they developed any COVID-19 symptoms.