COVID-19 Vaccination Distribution and Uptake: Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy in Canada

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the urgent development and distribution of novel vaccinations to reduce the global disease burden and establish herd immunity. Vaccination is a cost-effective public health measure that is critical for disease prevention; as of March 2022, Health Canada has authorized the distribution of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in pediatric populations. However, vaccine hesitancy among caregivers remains a significant barrier to vaccine uptake in the pediatric population. Increased research on the intentions, motivations, and perceptions of pediatric COVID-19 vaccine efficacy and safety may facilitate the development of public health strategies to address pediatric vaccine knowledge translation, accessibility, and administration barriers. This perspective paper aims to explore the major barrier of vaccine hesitancy and potential solutions to achieve effective vaccine uptake in the Canadian pediatric population.