More than four in 10 black adults in Great Britain are likely to be hesitant about receiving the Covid-19 vaccine – the highest level among all ethnic groups, new figures suggest.
Some 44% of black adults reported vaccine hesitancy, compared with 17% of mixed adults, 16% of Asian adults, 8% of white adults, and 18% of Chinese adults or adults from other ethnic groups, according to a survey from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The findings cover the period January 13 to February 7.
The ONS defines vaccine hesitancy as adults who have been offered the vaccine and decided not to be vaccinated; who report being very or fairly unlikely to have the vaccine if offered; and who responded “neither likely nor unlikely”, “don’t know” or “prefer not to say” when asked how likely or unlikely they are to have the vaccine if offered.
Among adults in Great Britain aged 16 to 29 years, 17% reported hesitancy towards the Covid-19 vaccine, compared with 1% of adults aged 80 years and over, the ONS said.
The figure for adults aged 30 to 49 is 13%.
The same proportion of adults aged 70 to 74 years and those aged 75 to 79 years reported vaccine hesitancy (both 1%).
“Higher rates of hesitancy in the younger age groups could be driven by the prioritisation of older age groups in the vaccine rollout,” the ONS said.
The estimates are based on those demonstrating hesitancy towards the vaccine, not necessarily a negative feeling, the ONS added.
