More than 60 percent of the world's population trusts vaccines

(Patria) - More than 60 percent of the world's population trusts vaccines and is willing to get vaccinated again against COVID-19, as well as against other widespread diseases.

This was shown by a study by the Institute for Health in Barcelona and the School of Public Health at New York University, reports Danas.rs.

The research, whose results were obtained from 23,000 respondents from 23 countries around the world, nevertheless indicates a 16 percent drop in the desire for further COVID-19 vaccination at the end of 2023, compared to the previous year, writes the journal Nature Medicine.

More than two-thirds of respondents expressed a willingness to be vaccinated against other dangerous diseases, while 23 percent were skeptical of such health preservation measures.

It is emphasized that a similar percentage of hesitation regarding the further vaccination process was recorded globally among healthcare workers, which indicates the need for correct information and further work on changing culture and health habits worldwide, especially considering the risk of possible future pandemics, according to the study.

The largest recorded jump in the number of people vaccinated against COVID-19 with one dose was in 2023, when the number of globally vaccinated people rose to 87.8 percent, while in 2021 this number was significantly lower, amounting to only 36.9 percent.

However, only 71 percent of those already vaccinated received a second dose or a so-called booster.

Some research by health and statistical institutions indicates that during an average human lifespan, the possibility of a new pandemic has increased from the former 17 percent to nearly 40 percent in the coming decades.

This means that, in the near future, there is a two percent annual risk of a new dangerous infection emerging that could threaten the entire world.