The impact of the covid-19 pandemic on the commitment to routine pediatric vaccination among the population in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2021: A cross-sectional study

Backgroud: The goal of this study was to see how the COVID-19 pandemic affected children's vaccination in Saudi Arabia. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we investigated the population's commitment to routine immunization of their children as well as the prevalence of vaccine misconceptions. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done on 586 parents of children under 6 years of age. An online questionnaire was used that included items to collect data about parents' demographics, knowledge about childhood vaccination and its side effects, practice toward vaccination of their children before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Approximately 67.2% of parents reported having good knowledge about the benefits of vaccines for their children, and 7.2% had ever declined to vaccinate their infant, with the most common reason being concern about vaccine side effects. Prior to this pandemic, 88% of parents had their children's vaccinations scheduled on a regular basis, while 25.3% had missed or postponed their children's vaccinations. 26.8% of the participants and their families were willing to take a coronavirus vaccine if one was available. During the epidemic, non-Saudi participants had a significantly greater percentage of those who missed or delayed a child's immunization. Participants who had one or two children and those with ages ranging from 18-25 years had a higher percentage of those who were willing to take a vaccine against the coronavirus. Conclusions: Addressing parents about the need of protecting their children from vaccine-preventable diseases is vital even as the COVID-19 pandemic persists.