Choice Of Vaccine Research Articles

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy, Medical Mistrust, and Mattering in Ethnically Diverse Communities.

Objectives Uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine continues to be lower in ethnically diverse communities in the UK even though they are disproportionally affected by the negative effects of the virus. To better understand why uptake is lower, we explored factors that may underpin vaccine hesitancy and intention to vaccinate in these communities with an emphasis on medical mistrust and feelings of mattering.DesignOne hundred and sixty-one adults from ethnically diverse backgrounds who had not had a COVID-19 vaccination completed an online questionnaire that contained closed (quantitative) and open (qualitative) questions.ResultsAnalyses of quantitative questions revealed that medical mistrust, but not feelings of mattering, was related to COVID-19 hesitancy and likelihood of getting a COVID-19 vaccination. Of the three components of medical mistrust, suspicion was the only unique predictor and was related to higher hesitancy towards the COVID-19 vaccine and lower likelihood of getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Analyses of the responses to the qualitative questions were organised into four themes: (1) Beliefs that taking the vaccine is an important social responsibility; (2) Experiences of pressure to take the vaccine and limited choice; (3) General mistrust linked to personal experiences and the health system; (4) Being concerned about social/medical restrictions if not vaccinated.ConclusionThe findings suggest that medical mistrust may partly explain why uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine is lower in ethnically diverse communities in the UK and appears to play a role in how people weigh a sense of responsibility and pressure against health and social concerns in making the decision to be vaccinated.

SARS-COV-2 vaccine responses in renal patient populations

BackgroundDialysis patients and immunosuppressed renal patients are at increased risk of COVID-19 and were excluded from vaccine trials. We conducted a prospective multicentre study to assess SARS-CoV-2 vaccine antibody responses in dialysis patients and renal transplant recipients, and patients receiving immunosuppression for autoimmune disease.MethodsPatients were recruited from three UK centres (ethics:20/EM/0180) and compared to healthy controls (ethics:17/EE/0025). SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies to spike protein were measured using a multiplex Luminex assay, after first and second doses of Pfizer BioNTech BNT162b2(Pfizer) or Oxford-AstraZeneca ChAdOx1nCoV-19(AZ) vaccine.ResultsSix hundred ninety-two patients were included (260 dialysis, 209 transplant, 223 autoimmune disease (prior rituximab 128(57%)) and 144 healthy controls. 299(43%) patients received Pfizer vaccine and 379(55%) received AZ. Following two vaccine doses, positive responses occurred in 96% dialysis, 52% transplant, 70% autoimmune patients and 100% of healthy controls. In dialysis patients, higher antibody responses were observed with the Pfizer vaccination. Predictors of poor antibody response were triple immunosuppression (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]0.016;95%CI0.002–0.13;p < 0.001) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) (aOR0.2;95%CI 0.1–0.42;p < 0.001) in transplant patients; rituximab within 12 months in autoimmune patients (aOR0.29;95%CI 0.008–0.096;p < 0.001) and patients receiving immunosuppression with eGFR 15-29 ml/min (aOR0.031;95%CI 0.11–0.84;p = 0.021). Lower antibody responses were associated with a higher chance of a breakthrough infection.ConclusionsAmongst dialysis, kidney transplant and autoimmune populations SARS-CoV-2 vaccine antibody responses are reduced compared to healthy controls. A reduced response to vaccination was associated with rituximab, MMF, triple immunosuppression CKD stage 4. Vaccine responses increased after the second dose, suggesting low-responder groups should be prioritised for repeated vaccination. Greater antibody responses were observed with the mRNA Pfizer vaccine compared to adenovirus AZ vaccine in dialysis patients suggesting that Pfizer SARS-CoV-2 vaccine should be the preferred vaccine choice in this sub-group.

Shared decision-making in Malaysia: Legislation, patient involvement, implementation and the impact of COVID-19

Shared decision making (SDM) activities in Malaysia began around 2010. The rise in the numbers of patients with chronic disease in Malaysia underscores a growing need for doctors to practice patient-centred care and SDM as more Malaysians come into regular contact with health decision-making scenarios. Recent guidelines for medical professionalism have emphasized that options and risks be discussed in consultations, especially for procedures with risk of adverse outcomes. Although SDM is not legally required, principles of SDM are applied in legal judgements on informed consent. Research on SDM has grown to include the adoption of patient and public involvement in research, an increased emphasis on incorporating local cultural values in SDM, and implementation of SDM in Malaysia’s health system and organizational culture. While COVID-19 hindered the progress of SDM research, one positive development was that vaccination choices heightened public consciousness about personal decisional autonomy and the need to discuss pros and cons with doctors before making a medical decision.

Two-Tailed Dogs, Social Unrest and COVID-19 Vaccination: Politics, Hesitancy and Vaccine Choice in Hungary and Thailand.

Background: A long tradition of research has shown an association between political orientation and vaccine uptake. However, we know little about political preferences and the choice of specific vaccines. Methods: We conducted two national surveys, in Hungary (Study 1, online, n = 1130) and Thailand (Study 2, on the street survey: n = 1052), testing associations between political allegiance, trust in government, vaccine willingness, and vaccine choice. Results: In Hungary, those supporting the government or on the political right were more willing to be vaccinated, with this association strongest for government approved vaccines. These respondents were also more likely to accept Chinese and Russian vaccines and reject the Moderna vaccine. In Thailand, vaccinated respondents reported greater trust in the government, with preference for AstraZeneca associated with support for pro-government political parties and preference for Pfizer with anti-government attitudes. Conclusions: Vaccine campaigns need to recognise the role of political loyalties not only in vaccine willingness, but in vaccine choice, especially given the mixing of vaccines across doses.

Comparison of susceptibility of different goat breeds to live attenuated goatpox vaccine

Goatpox in small ruminants is the most acute pox disease in domestic animals, playing an important role in their health. Vaccination and biosecurity are the two main strategies to control the disease in countries where goatpox is enzootic. In this study, the susceptibility and reactions of three pure breeds (Saanen, Alpine, and Murcia-Granada) and two hybrid breeds (Saanen-Mahabadi and Alpine-Mahabadi) vaccinated with live attenuated goatpox vaccine were compared. The first cases of pox lesions (PLs) were reported 21–27 days after vaccination, and the most disease-affected goats were observed in the pure Saanen breed with 89.9% morbidity and 27% mortality. Only pure Saanen and Alpine breeds showed reactions to the goatpox vaccine. The Saanen was much more responsive to the goatpox vaccine than the Alpine. Murcia-Granada and a hybrid of Saanen-Mahabadi and Alpine-Mahabadi breeds vaccinated at the same time presented no symptoms and goat PLs. This sensitivity to live goatpox vaccines suggests that safer vaccines should be used in some breeds. Therefore, inactivated goatpox vaccines may be a good choice for vaccination in susceptible goat breeds.

An Innovative Multidisciplinary Study of The Availability of Coronavirus Vaccines in The World

The article presents the results of the search for innovative technologies in a multidisciplinary study of the availability of COVID-19 vaccines of any type in the world. In the context of the coronavirus pandemic, multidisciplinary health research brings together the interdisciplinary links of scientists from around the world in medicine, pharmacy, law, economics on good medical practice, pharmaceutical provision and vaccination availability for all contingent of patients and postcovid health disorders. The aim of the research was to search for innovative technologies for the study of medically approved vaccines against COVID-19 in countries around the world using a multidisciplinary and integrated approach in the application of traditional and new methods of analysis. Content analysis was performed according to the range of licenses, permits for medical use and manufacturers by grouping them using the Sturgess formula, followed by construction of a discrete series of variations and distribution polygon. The results show satisfactory availability of vaccines against COVID-19 of any type. Doctors have a choice of appropriate vaccines and the manufacturer that corresponds to the social personalized vaccination taking into account the individual characteristics of patients.

Governmental Incentives, Satisfaction with Health Promotional Materials, and COVID-19 Vaccination Uptake among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Hong Kong: A Random Telephone Survey.

COVID-19 vaccination is proven to be effective and safe for older adults. This study investigated the impacts of incentives and health promotional materials provided by the government on the completion of the primary COVID-19 vaccination series among older adults in Hong Kong. Participants were Chinese-speaking community-dwelling adults aged ≥65 years. Telephone numbers were randomly selected from up-to-date Hong Kong telephone directories. A total of 440 participants completed the telephone interview. Logistic regression models were fitted. Among the participants, 58.4% had completed the primary COVID-19 vaccination series. Most participants believed that incentives provided by the government had almost no impact on increasing their motivation to receive COVID-19 vaccination, and less than half thought that vaccination promotional materials produced by the government could address their concerns and help them make decisions. After adjustment for significant background characteristics, we found perceived higher impacts of the incentives and belief that vaccination promotional materials produced by the government could address their concern and were helpful for them to make decisions to be associated with a higher rate of completion of primary COVID-19 vaccination series. Perceptions supporting COVID-19 vaccination and less decisional conflict regarding the choice of vaccine were also positively associated with the dependent variable. Government should develop incentives and health promotional materials tailored to the needs of older adults.

Public Preferences for Policies to Promote COVID-19 Vaccination Uptake: A Discrete Choice Experiment in The Netherlands

ObjectivesThe COVID-19 pandemic forms an unprecedented public health, economic, and social crisis. Uptake of vaccination is critical for controlling the pandemic. Nevertheless, vaccination hesitancy is considerable, requiring policies to promote uptake. We investigate Dutch citizens’ preferences for policies that aim to promote vaccination through facilitating choice of vaccination, profiling it as the norm, making vaccination more attractive through rewards, or punishing people who reject vaccination. MethodsWe conducted a discrete choice experiment in which 747 respondents were asked to choose between policies to promote vaccination uptake and their impacts on the number of deaths, people with permanent health problems, households with income loss, and a tax increase. ResultsRespondents generally had a negative preference for policies that promote vaccination. They particularly disliked policies that punish those who reject the vaccine and were more favorable toward policies that reward vaccination, such as awarding additional rights to vaccinated individuals through vaccination passports. Respondents who reject vaccination were in general much more negative about the policy options than respondents who consider accepting the vaccine. Nevertheless, vaccination passports are supported by both respondents who accept the vaccine, those who reject vaccination, and those who are unsure about vaccination. ConclusionsThis study provides concrete directions for governments attempting to increase the vaccination uptake in ways that are supported by the public. Our results could encourage policy makers to focus on policy options that make vaccination easier and reward people who take the vaccine, as especially the implementation of vaccination passports was supported.

An Online Experiment of NHS Information Framing on Mothers' Vaccination Intention of Children against COVID-19.

Children under the age of 5, will likely all be offered vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 soon. Parental concerns over vaccination of children are long standing and could impede the success of a vaccination campaign. In the UK, a trusted source to inform vaccination choices is the NHS website. Here we used a randomized controlled experiment of framing effects in NHS information content for COVID-19 and flu with 550 mothers under the age of 5. We compared both vaccination offers following two commonly used frames in vaccination informational campaigns: alerting to the risks of no vaccination for the child itself vs. those in their community. We find that vaccination intention was twice as high when risks to the child are emphasized, relative to risks to the community. Exploratory analyses suggest that these effects may differ between white and non-white mothers. Whilst communication directed at adult vaccination against COVID-19 generally focuses on risks of infecting others, communication about vaccination of children may benefit from emphasizing risks to the children themselves. This pattern is in line with flu vaccination research from pre-COVID-19 times.

Effect of bovine lactoferrin on seroconversion following polio vaccine administration in children: protocol for a double-blinded randomised controlled trial

IntroductionThe oral polio vaccine (OPV) has substantial results in eliminating wild poliovirus and the vaccine of choice in polio eradication. However, the mucosal immunity induced by the OPV is still...

Assessment of the Benefits of Targeted Interventions for Pandemic Control in China Based on Machine Learning Method and Web Service for COVID-19 Policy Simulation

Taking the Chinese city of Xiamen as an example, simulation and quantitative analysis were performed on the transmissions of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the influence of intervention combinations to assist policymakers in the preparation of targeted response measures. A machine learning model was built to estimate the effectiveness of interventions and simulate transmission in different scenarios. The comparison was conducted between simulated and real cases in Xiamen. A web interface with adjustable parameters, including choice of intervention measures, intervention weights, vaccination, and viral variants, was designed for users to run the simulation. The total case number was set as the outcome. The cumulative number was 4,614,641 without restrictions and 78 under the strictest intervention set. Simulation with the parameters closest to the real situation of the Xiamen outbreak was performed to verify the accuracy and reliability of the model. The simulation model generated a duration of 52 days before the daily cases dropped to zero and the final cumulative case number of 200, which were 25 more days and 36 fewer cases than the real situation, respectively. Targeted interventions could benefit the prevention and control of COVID-19 outbreak while safeguarding public health and mitigating impacts on people's livelihood.

Factors Influencing the Decision to Vaccinate against HPV amongst a Population of Female Health Students.

Background: In Switzerland, HPV vaccination has been recommended since 2007 for all adolescent girls aged between 11 and 14 years. More than 10 years after the introduction of this recommendation, immunization coverage targets have not been met. Very few studies at a national level describe the reasons for the reluctance of some young women to become vaccinated. The aim of this study is to describe the socio-demographic characteristics of a population of vaccinated and unvaccinated female health students and then to compare the different factors that may have influenced their vaccine choice. Method: Female health students in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, aged between 18 and 31, were invited to participate in the study. A total of 234 female students completed a questionnaire that included questions about their socio-demographic data, sexual behavior and vaccination status. Results: 69% of the participants received at least one dose of the vaccine. Women who had not yet had sex were less likely to be vaccinated than sexually active women (ORa: 0.1, 0.0–0.4, 95% CI), the same as those who did not express an opinion about the importance of vaccination (ORa: 0.1: 0.0–0.6, 95% CI). The main reasons given for refusing vaccination were fear of side effects (26.0%), parental opposition (24.6%) and reluctance of the attending physician (13.6%). Conclusions: The main results of this study highlight a good rate of vaccine coverage in the sample population. Reasons for nonvaccination demonstrate the need to provide information on the vaccine to the target audience, as well as to parents and health professionals.

Determination and Genotype Distribution of Rotavirus Gastroenteritis in Pediatric Patients Admitted to a Tertiary Care Hospital

Acute infectious gastroenteritis is a prevalent disease worldwide, and most of the cases are caused by viral pathogens. Many different viruses, including Rotavirus (RV), Norovirus, Adenovirus, and Astroviruses, are responsible for most acute viral gastroenteritis cases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), viral gastroenteritis infections cause more than 200 000 child mortalities each year worldwide. One of the best strategies to reduce the global burden of RV gastroenteritis is the development and administration of effective vaccines. However, since there are differences in the coverage of the vaccines, the choice of appropriate vaccine for localized genotypes based on regions is important. The aim of this study was to detect the RV infections in our region and to perform genotyping using real time polymerase chain reaction (Rt-PCR) and high resolution melting (HRM) analysis. A total of 341 stool samples collected from pediatric patients were tested. Lateral flow immunochromatographic assay principle based assay was used for antigen detection. RT-PCR and HRM were applied for genotype analysis. Similar to the data from our country and Eastern Mediterranean region, RV positivity in stool samples was 23.1%. The majority of the patients (51%) were aged 0-2 years and the vast majority of the patients, with a rate of 77%, were between the ages of 0-5. Most of the cases were detected in the winter months, especially in February. The distribution of 40 samples, whose G genotype could be detected, was as follows: G2, 21 (52.5%); G1, 11 (27.5%); G9, 5 (12.5%); G3, 2 (5%); G4, 1 (2.5%). The distribution of 53 samples, whose P genotype could be detected, was as follows: P4, 44 (83.0%); P9, 8 (15.1%); P10, 1 (1.9%). Among those whose genotype could be detected, the most prevalent genotypes were G2 with 52.5% and P4 with 83%. When the distribution of 25 samples was evaluated, in which RV G and P genotypes were detected simultaneously, G1P [4] 11 (44%), G2P[9] 5 (20%), G9P[4] 5 (20%), G2P[4] 2 (8%), G3P[10] 1 (4%), and G4P[4] 1 (4%) genotypes were determined, respectively. The most commonly observed genotype was G1P[4]. In the HRM analysis, it was observed that the melting curve peaks were at different temperatures in nine of the G2 genotype samples and 16 of the P4 and P9 genotype samples. Thus, genotyping with HRM analysis could not be fully finalized, especially for G2 and P. Of the Rota Teq® and RotarixTM vaccines administered on demand in our country, Rota Teq® is considered the vaccine that has the widest coverage for the genotypes observed in our country and region. ROTASIIL® vaccine, which covers all the genotypes in our region (G1, G2, G3, G4, G9) is not available in our country. The emergence of the strains with the potential to increase the current burden of RV disease should be continuously monitored, as different results are obtained by region and year, even within the same country. Thus, the emergence of vaccine-resistant strains can be followed up, especially in countries with higher viral diversity.

Vaccine Choice, Trust in Institutions, and the Intention to Get Vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2: Evidence from an Online Experiment

Amidst the global struggle to achieve herd immunity against SARS-CoV-2, this study investigates whether the number of vaccine options (the size of the choice set) predicts the public’s intention to get vaccinated, and whether this effect depends on their trust in institutions – a system in which a collection of actors – from scientists and vaccine developers to public servants and front-line health workers – is working to fight the pandemic and to develop and approve vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and deliver them to the public. Using an online experiment conducted in Japan (N = 600), the study tested whether choice set sizes of 1, 2, and 4 make a difference in the intention to get vaccinated. The study found that the intention was higher when the subjects were given two vaccine options to choose from, rather than offered a single vaccine, when trust was low, but this effect was negative when the subject trusted institutions highly. The study did not find strong evidence to support the effect of presenting a choice set of four. Based on these findings, this study offers nuanced suggestions for vaccine policy.

Exploring the impact of media and information on self-reported intentions to vaccinate against COVID-19: A qualitative interview-based study

ABSTRACT Background The World Health Organization declared vaccine hesitancy a top threat to global health following resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases close to eradication in many countries (e.g. measles). Vaccines are effective in preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19, yet there remains a small proportion of the eligible population who choose not to vaccinate. Social media and online news sources are opportunities for targeted public health interventions to improve vaccine uptake. This study reports the results of a semi-structured interview study that explored the influence of media and information on individuals’ self-reported intentions to vaccinate against COVID-19. Methods A qualitative descriptive study was employed to gain insight from a diverse group of individuals. Adult participants were recruited through a related COVID-19 study; we used a maximum variation sampling technique and purposively sampled participants based on demographics. Interviews were conducted from February 2021 to May 2021. Themes from interviews were summarized with representative quotations according to the 3C Theoretical Framework (Confidence, Complacency, Convenience). Results Key themes identified following thematic analysis from 60 participants included: vaccine safety, choice of vaccine, fear mongering, trust in authority, belief in vaccinations (Confidence); delaying vaccination (Complacency); confusing information, access to vaccines and information (Convenience). While most participants intended to vaccinate, many expressed concerns and hesitancy. Conclusions COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy prevents universal immunization and contradictory messages in media are a source of concern and fear. The success of future vaccine campaigns will depend upon authorities’ ability to disseminate accessible, detailed, and consistent information promoting public confidence.

An Evidence-based Practical Guide to Vaccination for Hepatitis B Virus.

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is highly infectious, with over 292 million chronically infected people worldwide and up to 2.4 million in the United States. Following infection, clinically silent liver damage can ensue, but symptoms or signs of advanced disease, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, can take decades to emerge. HBV has the heaviest public health burden of all hepatitis viruses and has now surpassed other major communicable diseases (eg, HIV, diarrheal disease, malaria, tuberculosis) as a leading cause of death globally. Preventing transmission is essential, and efforts are in place to reinforce screening, vaccination, and routine follow-up. Three safe and effective vaccines are available in the United States and other countries for HBV prevention, and the benefits of vaccination in preventing infection and its sequelae have been substantiated. For the first time in over 25 years, a new Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccine is available that offers a high degree of immunogenicity after 2, rather than 3, injections. Persistent challenges include the underutilization of vaccination, choice of vaccine, incomplete vaccinations, varying needs in different populations, management of nonresponders or those with undocumented or incompletely documented vaccination courses, and questions about whether and when booster injections may be needed. A panel of US academic hepatologists with expertise and experience in preventing and managing HBV infection have collaborated to write this practical clinical paper intended to guide clinicians in vaccinating for HBV and address questions that regularly arise in the clinic.

A lesson from MMR: is choice of vaccine the missing link in promoting vaccine confidence through informed consent?

ABSTRACT A recent study suggests that vaccine hesitancy amongst key demographics – including females, younger individuals, and certain ethnic groups – could undermine the pursuit of herd immunity against COVID-19 in the United Kingdom. At the same time, the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JVCI) indicated that it will not facilitate the choice between available COVID-19 vaccines. This paper reflects upon lessons from the introduction of the UK’s combined Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine strategy of the 1980s when Member of Parliament Miss Julie Kirkbride argued that had parents been allowed to choose between vaccine variants, then the crisis of low herd immunity – and subsequent outbreaks – could have been avoided. This paper explores this argument, as applied to the COVID-19 vaccination strategy, by considering how three key elements of informed consent – disclosure of risk, benefit, and reasonable alternatives – may be employed to tackle vaccine hesitancy and build vaccine confidence.

COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among medical students in Romania.

Vaccination against COVID-19 is a highly debated subject that brings confusion due to contradictory information coming from the scientific community and the media. Our aim was to focus on a homogeneous group of students in the healthcare field to assess their intention to vaccinate and the drivers behind this decision. A cross-sectional study was performed in the spring of 2021 in a Medical University in Romania. 725 of the undergraduates that completed an online questionnaire regarding their intention to vaccinate against COVID-19 were included in the study. Univariable analysis and logistic regression were performed on several variables to analyze factors affecting the willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19. In our study sample, 93.1% of students presented a strong intention to vaccinate, out of which the highest proportion belonged to subjects studying general medicine (96%). On logistic regression, we identified the following predictor factors: previous infection with coronavirus, prior vaccination refusal, VAX score, scientifically oriented sources of information and preference for RNA-based technology. Medical students have an increased willingness towards vaccination. Even for them, a highly educated and informed group of subjects, the general attitude towards vaccinations has a strong impact on the choice of COVID-19 vaccination.

Communication about vaccine efficacy and COVID-19 vaccine choice: Evidence from a survey experiment in the United States.

While mass vaccination campaigns against COVID-19 have inoculated almost 200 million Americans and billions more worldwide, significant pockets of vaccine hesitancy remain. Research has firmly established that vaccine efficacy is an important driver of public vaccine acceptance and choice. However, current vaccines offer widely varying levels of protection against different adverse health outcomes of COVID-19. This study employs an experiment embedded on a survey of 1,194 US adults in June 2021 to examine how communications about vaccine efficacy affect vaccine choice. The experiment manipulated how vaccine efficacy was defined across four treatments: (1) protection against symptomatic infection; (2) protection against severe illness; (3) protection against hospitalization/death; (4) efficacy data on all three metrics. The control group received no efficacy information. Subjects were asked to choose between a pair of vaccines—a one-dose viral vector vaccine or two-dose mRNA vaccine—whose efficacy data varied across the four experimental treatment groups. Efficacy data for each vaccine on each dimension were adapted from clinical trial data on the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines. Among all respondents, only modest preference gaps between the two vaccines emerged in the control group and when the two vaccines’ roughly equivalent efficacy data against hospitalization and death were reported. Strong preferences for a two-dose mRNA vaccine emerged in treatments where its higher efficacy against symptomatic or severe illness was reported, as well as in the treatment where data on all three efficacy criteria were reported. Unvaccinated respondents preferred a one-dose viral vector vaccine when only efficacy data against hospitalization or death was presented. Black and Latino respondents were significantly more likely to choose the one-shot viral vector vaccine in the combined efficacy treatment than were whites. Results speak to the importance of understanding how communications about vaccine efficacy affect public preferences in an era of increasing uncertainty about efficacy against variants.

Heterologous COVID-19 Vaccination in Spain: A Case Study of Individual Autonomy in the Real World

In Spain, 1.5 million essential < 60-year-old workers were vaccinated with a first AstraZeneca vaccine dose. After assessing the cases of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia associated to this vaccine, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) supported the administration of 2 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine with no age restrictions. Nevertheless, Spain decided not to administer the second dose of this vaccine to < 60-year-olds. The government sponsored a clinical trial (CombiVacS) to assess the immunogenicity response to a Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine dose in adults primed with the AstraZeneca vaccine. The positive results backed the Public Health Commission and the Spanish Ministry of Health to offer the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine as the booster. Nevertheless, regional public health authorities—responsible for administering vaccines—believed that, following the EMA’s decision, an AstraZeneca booster dose should be given. The public confrontation of these 2 positions forced the Spanish Health Ministry to request the signature of an informed consent form to those individuals willing to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine booster and rejecting the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine dose. Eventually, it was decided that these essential workers could choose the vaccine but signing an informed consent form. All relevant information was posted on the Ministry of Health and regional health authorities’ websites and provided to potential vaccine recipients at vaccination sites. Most individuals (≥ 75%) chose the AstraZeneca vaccine: perhaps because they likely trusted the EMA more than the CombiVacS results. This unprecedented and massive exercise of individual autonomy about the choice of COVID-19 vaccines from 2 different platforms has shown that adequately informed persons can autonomously weigh their options, regardless of government decisions. Exercising individual autonomy may contribute to the success of future COVID-19 booster vaccination campaigns.