NEARLY 10% of young adults in Ireland are refusing to get vaccinated against Covid-19, according to the latest survey.
More than 1,000 people were surveyed by the Irish Pharmaceutical healthcare Association (IPHA), and the vaccine refusal rate across the country stands at around 4%, but within the 18-34 age group, that figure more than doubles to 9%.
There are around 1.2 million people in Ireland in this age group, meaning that over 100,000 young adults may well refuse the vaccine.
"Overall, the vaccination rate is very high. But hesitancy, although proportionately small, is still sticky, especially among some younger people," said Bernard Mallee, director of communications and advocacy at the IPHA.
Over 92% of Ireland's adult population has been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, while almost 90% of individuals aged 12 and over have also been vaccinated, giving the country one of the highest vaccinated rates in the world.
The vaccination rate drops with age, with around 20% of 16 and 17-year-olds unvaccinated, while 31% of 12 to 15-year-olds haven't even been registered to get their jabs.
Every single adult above the age of 69 has been fully vaccinated against the virus, but just 81% of young adults aged 18-34 have done the same.
This is partly down to the fact that the vaccine rollout has been slower for younger age groups, but also because vaccine hesitancy is a lot higher.
There are concerns among young women who either are, or are looking to get, pregnant that the long-term effects of the vaccine might not be safe, but Ireland's Health Service Executive (HSE) is looking to run a campaign to encourage greater vaccine up-take for anyone who may have these concerns.
See More: Covid-19 Vaccine, Ireland, Vaccine
