More than one-quarter of eligible U.S. teens have received COVID-19 shot

(HealthDay)—About one-quarter of vaccine-eligible adolescents have received one or more COVID-19 vaccine doses, while about one half report intent for vaccination, according to research published in the July 16 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Aaron M. Scherer, Ph.D., from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, and colleagues assessed the acceptability of adolescent COVID-19 vaccination and self-reported factors increasing vaccination intent among 985 adolescents aged 13 to 17 years and 1,022 parents and guardians of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years during April 15 to 23, 2021.

The researchers found that 27.6 percent of parents whose adolescents were already vaccine-eligible reported that their adolescents had received one or more COVID-19 vaccine doses, which was similar to the 26.1 percent reported by vaccine-eligible adolescents aged 16 to 17 years. Across demographic groups, there was variation seen in vaccine receipt reported by parents of adolescents. Overall, 55.5 percent of parents of unvaccinated adolescents reported that they would definitely or probably have their adolescent receive a COVID-19 vaccine, while 51.7 percent of unvaccinated adolescents reported that they would definitely or probably receive a vaccine. The most commonly reported factors that would increase vaccination intentions among parents and adolescents were obtaining more information about adolescent COVID-19 vaccine safety and efficacy and school COVID-19 vaccination requirements.

"Outreach and communication efforts should consider that adolescents might have different COVID-19-related risk perceptions, information needs, and messaging preferences than do adults," the authors write.