KPAI Survey: 64% of Children Not Yet Vaccinated Against Covid-19, Some Fear Vaccine Side Effects

The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) recently conducted a survey on the perception of vaccination among children aged 12-17 years. The results showed that 64% of children reported not yet having received the Covid-19 vaccine, while 36% had been vaccinated.

Several reasons were given for children not being vaccinated. KPAI data indicates that 57% of respondents, or the majority of children, stated they had not been vaccinated because they had not had the opportunity. Furthermore, 8% of children reported not receiving the Covid-19 vaccine because they had not yet been declared recovered from the coronavirus for three months.

Another 4% of child respondents stated they could not be vaccinated due to underlying health conditions or comorbidities. Additionally, 1% of respondents said they had not been vaccinated because they were undergoing self-isolation to recover from Covid-19.

"Meanwhile, the remaining 30% of responses included concerns about vaccine side effects; feeling that vaccination was unnecessary; uncertainty about specific vaccine brands; a belief that if a child were infected with Covid-19, the symptoms would be mild or asymptomatic; a belief that vaccination does not guarantee protection from Covid-19; and not being permitted to receive the vaccine by their parents," stated KPAI Commissioner Retno Listyarti during a virtual National Working Meeting on Monday, August 30, 2021.

For information, this survey involved 86,286 respondents from elementary schools (SD), junior high schools (SMP), senior high schools (SMA), and special needs schools (SLB) across 34 provinces.