Details
- Publication date
- 18 November 2022
- Author
- Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
Description
Vaccine confidence among the public and healthcare professionals is high across most populations, with some exceptions and caveats. Between 2018 and 2020, there was a large increase in public perception towards vaccines across the EU, particularly towards the seasonal influenza vaccine. Many of these 2020 gains have since been reversed. Perceptions towards the importance, safety, and effectiveness of vaccines have declined across the EU between 2020 and 2022. Across the EU, the view that vaccines are safe remains higher than 2018 levels. Yet, EU-wide changes in public perceptions towards the importance and safety of vaccines shows that strong vaccine-dependence and variability in vaccine confidence exist between countries and within sociodemographic characteristics.
An evaluation into the differences in public confidence between over 65-year-olds and 18-34-year-olds reveals key insights into an increasing ‘vaccine confidence gap’, which needs to be addressed. The difference in vaccine confidence between 65-year-olds and 18-34-year-olds appears to be widening over time across many EU member states, with 18-34-year-olds becoming less confident between 2018 and 2022.
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