Last chance to tell us your views on COVID-19 Vaccinations: One week to go

During the last month Healthwatch East Sussex has been capturing the experiences of people who have been vaccinated and the views of those awaiting an invitation for their jab through our COVID-19 Vaccination Survey.

Over the last five weeks nearly 900 people have told us about their experience of receiving a COVID-19 vaccination or their views about receiving one in the future.

• 98% of those receiving a COVID-19 vaccination indicated that they would recommend having one to their family and friends
• 96% of vaccination recipients felt safe or very safe at vaccination sites
• The most common reasons people accepted a vaccination were to protect themselves or their family, friends and loved ones (both 98%)
• 72% of those yet to receive a vaccination would definitely or are likely to accept one, 19% were definitely or are likely to reject one and 9% had already declined one.
• The most common reasons for not wishing to receive a COVID-19 vaccination are a retention of personal choice (67%), a desire to wait and see if issues arise with the vaccine (61%) and concerns about safety (55%).

We are delighted that so many people have responded, and still want to capture feedback from as many people in East Sussex. Our goal is to obtain over a thousand responses before the survey closes at the end of March. We want to hear from everyone but we have not received so much feedback yet from people in the following groups:

• Men of any age, but especially under 50
• People living in Hastings and Eastbourne
• Anyone yet to be vaccinated for COVID-19

Responding to the survey will help us to learn whether the vaccination process is meeting the needs of recipients and to identify any aspects that may be improved for others.

We also want anyone who has not been vaccinated to tell us whether they will accept an invitation for an injection and their reasons for accepting, declining or seeking to wait.

The closing date for completing the survey is midnight on 31st March 2021.

The findings will be published on the Healthwatch East Sussex website.
We will share insight provided by the public with health and care providers and decision-makers to inform and improve the vaccination programme in East Sussex and publish any changes that health and care providers make in response to what the public say.

The survey can be completed in confidence in the following ways

• Online: https://healthwatcheastsussex.co.uk/covid-19-vaccination-survey/
• By phone: 0333 101 4007 (lines open Mon-Fri 10am-2pm)
• By post: Freepost RTTT-BYBX-KCEY, Healthwatch East Sussex, Greencoat House, 32 St Leonards Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 3UT
• Download a paper survey: Visit the relevant weblink above.