Filenews 13 May 2021 - by Angelos Nikolaou
The majority of Cypriots say they are hesitant about vaccines for coronavirus, with 81% considering them to be developed, tested and approved too quickly to be safe.
This is the highest percentage across the EU, considering that the average in the EU-27 is 52%. Furthermore, 84% of Cypriot respondents, again the highest proportion in the EU, believe that vaccines for Covid-19 could have long-term side effects that we do not yet know about compared to an average of 67% in the EU.
Remarkably, it is the percentage among younger ages who are concerned about long-term side effects at a very high rate. Specifically at ages 15-39 90% are concerned, at ages 40-54 88%, and over 55 72%.
In particular, according to the recent regular Eurobarometer( time of the survey between 12 February and 18 March 2021), the majority of Cypriot respondents, 89% and higher in the EU of 69%, believe that the EU plays an important role in ensuring that we can access vaccines for Covid-19 in Cyprus.
However, according to the same survey, while 70% of European respondents consider the vaccine to be the only way to end the pandemic, only 46% of Cypriots gave this answer which is the lowest in the EU, with 45% considering that there are other ways, compared to those in the EU27 where the figure reaches 25%. In addition, Cypriots appear divided on why people are reluctant to be vaccinated with 50% understanding (fifth highest in the EU 41%) and 47% do not understand (56% in the EU). Remarkably, it was the ages of 25-54 who said they understood the reluctance to vaccinate (53%).
If a vaccine for Covid-19 is approved by the public authorities and is available, most Cypriot respondents (40%) said they would like to be vaccinated 'later', which is also the highest in the EU with an average of 21%. Younger ages determined this result (15-39 years: 47%, 40-54: 41%, 55+: 30%). 26% of Cypriots also said 'never', recording the highest percentage here (EU27 12%), while only 16% said sometime in 2021 (EU27 20%).
As regards reliable sources of information on vaccines and Covid-19, two thirds of both Cypriots (64%) as well as European respondents (67%) distinguished health professionals, doctors, nurses and pharmacists, while lower percentages mentioned national health authorities (24% and 47% respectively) and their surroundings – colleagues, friends and family (20% and 19% respectively).
With the coronavirus pandemic dominating our lives, one in two Cypriot respondents (53%) said they would like to see a change in the way we live. generally satisfied with the measures taken by the national government to combat the pandemic, recording, however, a significant decrease of 34% compared to the summer of 2020 (EU27: 43%, -19%), while Europeans as a whole are dissatisfied (56%, +19, Cyprus: 47%, +34%). : 43%, -2%), while Europeans as a whole are dissatisfied (49%, +5%, Cyprus: 46%, +12%).
With regard to the €750 billion recovery plan, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) to support the economy through grants and loans as a means of dealing with the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, three-fifths of Cypriot respondents (62%) they believe it will be effective, which is among the highest in the EU, with an average of 55%.
