Parental complacency, convenience, and confidence regarding childhood COVID-19 vaccination in Albania

ObjectivesVaccine hesitancy is context-, time-, place-, and vaccine-specific. This study aims to analyze the comfort, convenience, and confidence of parents in Albania regarding the COVID-19 vaccination of children. MethodsThe anti-COVID-19 vaccine remains unapproved for children younger than 12 in Albania. A validated questionnaire composed of 33 elements was used for this study. The questionnaire was structured into three main domains based on established vaccine hesitancy models, such as the 3C model developed by the World Health Organization (WHO): Confidence, Complacency, and Convenience. ResultsA total of 603 parents/caregivers responded to the questionnaire. Mother represented 94.5% of the respondents. The predominant age group of parents was 31-40 years (56%), followed by 19-30 years (30%). 94% of the respondents declared that the economic level was not an obstacle for them. When asked if the COVID-19 vaccine protects children from severe illness, a significant proportion of parents expressed skepticism, with 47% disagreeing and 35% being unsure. The perceived risk was significantly lower in Albania (8% very high) compared to Kosovo (26%) and the diaspora (8%) (p = 0.000)ConclusionsParental negative perceptions toward Covid-19 vaccination of their children were linked to developing mild forms of the disease and fear of adverse events