ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in recent months offers a powerful preventive measure that may help control SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Nevertheless, long-standing public hesitation around vaccines has heightened public health concerns that vaccine coverage may not achieve desired public health impacts.This cross-sectional survey was conducted online in December 2020 among 7000 respondents (aged 18 to 65) in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and Ukraine. The survey included open text boxes for fuller explanation of responses. Projected COVID-19 vaccine coverage varied and may not be sufficiently high among certain populations to achieve herd immunity. Overall, 56.9% would accept a COVID-19 vaccine, 19.0% would not, and 24.1% did not know or preferred not to say. By country, between 44% (France) and 66% (Italy) of respondents would accept a COVID-19 vaccine. Respondents expressed conditionality in open responses, voicing concerns about vaccine safety and mistrust of authorities. Public health campaigns must tackle these safety concerns. HighlightsO_LIMixed-method survey studied expected COVID vaccine uptake in 7 European countries. C_LIO_LIProjected COVID vaccine acceptance by country ranged from 44% to 66%. C_LIO_LIExplicit COVID vaccine acceptance or rejection was conditional. C_LIO_LIStudy finds concerns about vaccine safety and authorities competence and honesty. C_LIO_LIVaccine communications should address safety anxieties and target specific groups. C_LI
