Reopening to the world: how safety, normality and trust in government shape young adults' COVID-19 vaccine intentions

ABSTRACT

During the COVID-19 pandemic, and particularly 2020-2021, young adults were often significant transmitters of the virus. Prior to the availability of vaccines for young adults, we sought to understand what would contribute to their uptake of a COVID-19 vaccine and how government policy might intervene. We undertook qualitative interviews between February and April 2021 with 19 participants (aged 18-29) in Perth, Western Australia. Despite Western Australians' lives changing little during the pandemic, almost all wanted to receive a vaccine. Motivating factors included protecting themselves and others and having life return to normal. Participants' significant levels of trust in the state government response to the pandemic did not extend to the Federal government. This research uncovers what influences young people to receive new vaccinations, how trust in governments develops, and how ideas of normality and safety influence vaccine demand.Alternate在新冠疫情其间，尤其是2020-2021年，年轻人往往成为病毒的传播者。在新冠疫苗普及到年轻人之前，我们试图了解哪些因素会有利于他们接种新冠疫苗，以及政府应该如何进行干预。我们在2021年2月至4月间对西澳大利亚帕斯市的19位参与者做了定性访谈。虽然西澳大利亚人的生活在疫情其间变化甚小，但几乎所有人都希望接种疫苗。原因包括保护自己及他人、让生活回到常轨。参与者对州政府应对疫情的做法有显著的信任，但不延及联邦政府。本文揭示了哪些东西影响了年轻人接受新疫苗、对政府的信任如何形成、以及正常观与安全观如何影响对疫苗的需求。