India, Jan. 13 -- New research suggests that much of the initial hesitancy surrounding COVID-19 vaccines was driven by concerns that could be addressed through clear information and public engagement, offering valuable lessons for future vaccination programmes.

A large-scale study involving more than one million participants from Imperial College London's landmark Real-time Assessment of Community Transmission (REACT) study found that nearly two-thirds (65%) of people who were initially hesitant about COVID-19 vaccines eventually received at least one dose.

In contrast, those who expressed general anti-vaccine sentiment, mistrust of vaccine developers, or believed their personal risk from COVID-19 was low were significantly more likely ...