Background: The global morbidity and mortality burden of COVID19 has been substantial, often widening preexisting inequalities. The approved COVID19 vaccines have shown great promise in reducing disease transmission and severity of outcomes. However, the success of the COVID19 vaccine rollout is dependent on public acceptance and willingness to be vaccinated. In this study, we aim to examine how the attitude towards public sector officials and the government impact vaccine willingness with a secondary aim to understand the impact of ethnicity on this relationship. Methods: This crosssectional study used data from a UK population based longitudinal household survey (Understanding Society COVID19 study, Understanding Society: the UK Household Longitudinal Study) between April 2020 to January 2021. Data from 22421 participants in Waves 6 and 7 of the study were included after excluding missing data. Demographic details in addition to previous survey responses relating to public sector/governmental trust were included in as covariates in the main analyses. A logit model was produced to describe the association between public sector/governmental mistrust and the willingness for vaccination with interaction terms included to account for ethnicity/socioeconomic status. Findings: In support of existing literature, we identified those from BAME groups were more likely to be unwilling to take the COVID19 vaccine. We found that positive opinions towards public sector officials (OR 2.680: 95% CI 1.888 3.805) and the UK government (OR 3.400; 95% CI 2.454 4.712) led to substantive increase in vaccine willingness. Most notably we identified this effect to be vary across ethnicity and socioeconomic status with those from South Asian background (OR 4.513; 95% CI 1.012 20.123) the most unwilling to be vaccinated when their trust in public sector officials were affected. Interpretation: These findings suggests that trust in public sector officials may play a key factor in the low vaccination rates particularly seen in at risk groups. Given the additional morbidity/mortality risk posed by COVID19 to those from lower socioeconomic or ethnic minority backgrounds, there needs to be urgent public health action to review how to tailor health promotion advice given to these groups and examine methods to improve trust in public sector officials and the Government. Funding: No funding
COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the UK: A longitudinal household cross-sectional study