Will Africans Take COVID-19 Vaccination?

Background: The economic and humanistic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been tremendous globally, including in Africa. No definitive treatment exists yet. The accelerated development and approval of COVID-19 vaccines, therefore, offers a unique opportunity for the prevention and control of COVID-19. The extent to which vaccine hesitancy may limit the success of vaccine distribution is unclear. The objective of this study was to assess the potential coronavirus vaccine hesitancy, and explore the determinants of vaccine hesitancy among Africans. Methods: An online cross-sectional continent-wide (Africa), pretested questionnaire was administered in Arabic, English, and French languages among Africans. The questionnaire comprised questions on demographics of respondents, self-reported health status and literacy, knowledge and perception of vaccines, past experience and behavior, risk assessment of SARS-COV-2, and willingness to receive, voluntariness, and affordability of the SARS-COV-2 vaccine, and vaccine education and distribution. Data obtained were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: A total of 5,416 individuals completed the survey. Approximately, 94% were residents of 34 African countries while the others were Africans living in the Diaspora. Only 62% of participants surveyed were willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. A total of 79% were worried about the side effects of the vaccine, and 39% actually expressed concerns that they might get infected by receiving the vaccine. The odds ratio (OR) of vaccine hesitancy was 0.28 (95% CI: 0.22, 0.30) among those who believed their risk of infection was very high, compared to those who believed their risk of infection was very low. The OR of vaccine hesitancy was 0.21 (95% CI: 0.16, 0.28) among those who believed their risk of falling very sick was very high, compared to those who believed their risk of falling very sick was very low. The OR of vaccine hesitancy was 2.72 (95% CI: 2.24, 3.31) among those who have previously refused a vaccine for themselves or their child compared to counterparts with no self-reported history of vaccine hesitancy. Many participants want the vaccines to be made mandatory (40%), provided free of charge (78%) and distributed at homes and offices (44%). Conclusion: COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is substantial among Africans, and this is related to perceived risk of coronavirus infection and past experiences. Funding: None to declare. Declaration of Interest: None to declare. Ethical Approval: Institutional review boards from Nigeria (University of Ilorin) and Egypt (Ahram Canadian University, Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine) approved the study.