However, we aimed to have more than double the minimum sample size to obtain statistical power and handle the statistical analysis in case of a low response rate. The minimum sample size was found to be 384 participants, which is supported by the required minimum sample size recommended by the Krejcie and Morgan sampling table. The following criteria were adopted in the calculation: population size of 999,999, COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate of 50%, a confidence level of 95%, and a margin of error of 5%. The smallest sample size was calculated using Epi-Info version 7 StatCalc (CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA,), which is available from the Centers for Disease Control (CDCs) and the WHO. Our eligibility criteria included people living in Saudi Arabia and age ≥18 years old. Because of the social distancing measurements in the country, associated with the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, we used a non-probability snowball sampling procedure to recruit participants. People residing in Saudi Arabia were invited to participate in this cross-sectional study during the period between 18 February to 1 April 2021. Study Design, Study Population, and Setting We, therefore, conducted this cross-sectional study to figure out the risk factors associated with refusal and hesitancy to receive COVID-19 vaccines among people living in Saudi Arabia and detect the people’s knowledge and concerns that may represent a challenge to the national COVID-19 vaccination campaign.Ģ.1. It is also important to unveil the concerns of people that may prevent them from getting vaccinated. With vaccine development and distribution underway, it becomes imperative to know whether people in Saudi Arabia are going to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and what factors can determine their decision. Additionally, both studies did not comprehensively investigate knowledge and concerns about COVID-19 vaccines. However, the intention to receive or refuse the vaccines before their production had previously been shown to be different when the vaccine became available compared with the time before providing the vaccines.

Two recent studies investigated the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates among residents of Saudi Arabia before the start of the national COVID-19 vaccination campaign, and both studies reached contradicting findings: 64% and 48%. Therefore, the Saudi Government has collaborated with many vaccine manufacturers and set plans to vaccinate the entire population against COVID-19, starting from December 2020. Saudi Arabia, on human and economic levels, is among the countries most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The intention to receive COVID-19 vaccines has varied significantly across countries: 27.7% in Congo, 40.0% in Hong Kong, 61.1% in Israel, 77.6% in France, 91.3% in China, and 93.3% in Indonesia. To date, a few COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to be effective and safe many pharmaceutical companies, in cooperation with governments, have received final approvals to distribute their COVID-19 vaccines, and most countries started vaccination programs. To hinder the spread of COVID-19, protective behaviors are needed, and high vaccination coverage is thought to be the key protective behavior globally. In addition to its health and psychological consequences, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an economic crisis associated with setting lockdowns, closing businesses, and suspending travel. As of 28 March 2021, there have been 126,697,603 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 2,776,157 deaths worldwide. In March 2020, after spreading to more than 110 countries, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. A newly detected virus, known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been shown to be the cause of the novel coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), with manifestations ranging from asymptomatic or mild respiratory symptoms to respiratory failure and death.

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