Background and objective:
Sufficiently high uptake of vaccines among the general public is important for containing the spread of infections like COVID19. However, mistrust, complacency, misinformation, and wrong beliefs raise apprehension amongst the public regarding the introduction of a new vaccine. The objective of this study was to determine the level of vaccine hesitancy as well as the various factors associated with it among an urban population. Methods India began its COVID19 vaccination program in January 2021 with the vaccine rollout for the general public starting in May. A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in the month of April 2021, in the field practice area of the urban health center of a tertiary care hospital, using a self-administered questionnaire. With the rapid increase in cases, most parts of the country, including the study location, were under lockdown during the study period.

Results:
Out of 132 study participants, nearly 20% were unwilling to take the vaccine. The most common specific reason for refusing the vaccine was inadequate data about the vaccine’s safety followed by concerns about adverse effects. The most commonly used source of information on vaccines was newspapers (62.1%) followed by the websites of the Government ministry and information passed by healthcare workers. Over 26% of those with graduate-level education were unwilling to take the vaccination. Nearly 23% of the respondents who perceived high risk of contracting infection for themselves were unwilling to take the vaccine while nearly 15% of those who perceived they were at no risk of contracting the disease were unwilling to take the vaccine. (p= 0.086)

Conclusion:
Vaccine hesitancy is high even among well-educated sections of society and public health systems should devise strategies to build trust by disseminating health information through tailored interventions.