COVID-19? It has been a challenging and polarizing decision for parents in Canada during the coronavirus pandemic.A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) Tuesday sheds light on the concerns parents have and what they consider when deciding whether or not to vaccinate their kids against COVID-19.
Read more: More Canadians trusting governments as COVID pandemic fades: poll Read next: How rising food prices make eating healthy a big-time struggle for some Canadians “Parents’ experiences making decisions regarding SARS-CoV-2 vaccination for their children were complex, even for those who were supportive of SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations,” the study states.Researchers at the University of Toronto surveyed 20 parents in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario (GTA) between February to April 2022.They found there were four main factors that parents looked at for their children in the age range of 5-18 years: Newness of the COVID-19 vaccines, politicization, social pressure and individual versus collective benefit.“Vaccine decision-making is actually complex at the best of times and then with such a new vaccine, it’s just that much more complex,” said Dr.
Janet Parsons, study co-author and research scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital, which is part of Unity Health Toronto.Parsons said parents have a further burden of responsibility when they make such important medical decisions for their children as opposed to for themselves, which is why they need extra reassurance.“It wasn’t a decision that they undertook lightly.