ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Willingness to vaccinate against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among non-healthcare personnel must be increased, considering that breaking the chain of transmission requires 84‒90% herd immunity, with at least 62% of the vulnerable population vaccinated. However, achieving uptake of recommended vaccination in the targeted population ultimately lies with the community’s willingness. This decreasing trend may also be an outcome of a high level of concern over vaccine safety. AIM: This research was intended to determine the willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19 and its associated factors. METHODS: It employed a cross-sectional study, and the collected data were analyzed using descriptive analytics and categorical comparison analysis. Two online surveys on Google Forms with non-healthcare personnel as the research subjects were conducted at different times (the first and second stage of vaccination). Screening with inclusion and exclusion criteria yielded 862 respondents spread over 32 provinces in Indonesia. RESULTS: The results actually showed an increase in willingness to receive the vaccine, from 42.4% of the respondents in survey 1–55.6% in survey 2, and a relationship (p = 0.00) between the surveys and this variable. About 36.8‒45.3% were feeling hesitant;the main reason for vaccine hesitancy (42.2%) and unwillingness (43.2%) was mistrust in the effects or benefits of the vaccine. Although demographic characteristics were not related to the willingness (p > 0.05), the opposite was true for the COVID-19 knowledge level (Odds ratio: 1.66;95% confidence interval: 1.26–2.18). CONCLUSION: There is an increasing number of people willing to vaccinate against COVID-19 (42.4% in survey 1 and 55.6% in survey 2). The time of the survey and COVID-19 knowledge are two predictors (p = 0.00) of this willingness.