mRNA technology COVID boosters (Pfizer, Moderna) & why the uptake is so low: Jacobs et al. highlights reasons for low uptake as i)prior infection (natural immunity) ii)concern about vaccine side

effects iii)belief that the booster would not provide additional protection over the vaccines already received iv) concerns about booster safety

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0264410X23010460?via%3Dihub

‘A total of 2196 adult participants from the Arizona CoVHORT, a population-based cohort in the United States established in May 2020, who had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, responded to surveys administered between February 13 and March 29, 2023 querying receipt of a bivalent booster and if not, the reasons for not receiving it.

The most commonly reported reason for not having been boosted was

a prior SARS-CoV-2 infection (39.5%),

followed by concern about vaccine side effects (31.5%),

believing that the booster would not provide additional protection over the vaccines already received (28.6%),

and concern about booster safety (23.4%)

or that it would not protect from SARS-CoV-2 infection (23.1%).

For themes related to reasons for not having been boosted, those 60 years of age or older were less likely to select items related to knowledge (OR: 0.24; 95% CI: 0.11–0.55) or logistical concerns (OR: 0.09; 95% CI: 0.03–0.30) about the vaccine; while those reporting Hispanic ethnicity were more likely to convey concerns about logistics than those reporting non-Hispanic ethnicity (OR: 2.15; 95% CI: 1.08–4.30). Finally, compared to college graduates, those with some college or technical school were significantly more likely to select items related to the risks and benefits of the bivalent vaccine not being clear as reasons for not having been boosted (OR: 2.41; 95% CI: 1.69–3.43).’