This is a summary, written by members of the CITF Secretariat, of:

Racey, C.S., Donken, R., Porter, I., Albert, A., Bettinger, J.A., Mark, J., Bonifacio, L., Dawar, M., Gagel, M., Kling, R., Mema, S., Mitchell, H., Roe, I., Ogilvie, G., Sadarangani, M., 2021. Intentions of public school teachers in British Columbia, Canada to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccine: X 8, 100106. doi: 10.1016/j.jvacx.2021.100106

The results and/or conclusions contained in the research do not necessarily reflect the views of all CITF members.

In British Columbia (BC), where schools were open for the 2020-21 academic year, teachers were surveyed to better understand their perceptions around vaccination and measure their willingness to accept a COVID-19 vaccine. This study was conducted by CITF and VSRG leadership members Dr. Julie Bettinger, Dr.Gina Ogilvie, and Dr. Manish Sadarangani, and has been published in Vaccine: X. The research team has stated that because teachers play a vital role in the functioning of society, they should be prioritized to have access to the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible to stay healthy, reduce transmission of the virus in classrooms, and subsequently, keep schools open safely to maintain stability for students and families.

Key Points:

  • Between August and November 2020, the majority (89.7%) of public-school teachers in BC indicated that they were likely or very likely to accept a COVID-19 vaccine that was safe, effective, and recommended for them.
  • Intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine among teachers was higher than the general population: only 55.5% of the general BC population indicated being very likely to receive a COVID-19 vaccine whereas 69.5% of teachers reported being very likely.
  • The teachers most willing to be vaccinated were male, had an educational background in science or engineering, and used trustworthy sources about vaccination.
  • Higher vaccine confidence was also associated with more vaccine knowledge and a better understanding that COVID-19 can be a serious illness.