Youth COVID-19 Vaccine Engagement in Ealing, London, United Kingdom

Despite progress in COVID-19 vaccination rates overall in Ealing, vaccine inequity persists as young people from minority communities are often less likely to be vaccinated. COVID-19 ‘vaccine hesitancy’ is not just an issue of misinformation or lack of information. ‘Vaccine hesitancy’ among young people is reflective of wider issues such as mistrust in the state or the medical establishment and negative experiences during the pandemic. This report is based on case study research conducted among minority youth (from ages 12-19) in the London borough of Ealing. While public discourse may label young people as “vaccine hesitant,” we found that there were differences based on social location and place. We found the greatest vaccine refusal among older youth (15+ years old), which in the context of this study were from minoritised communities who have experienced deprivation across the life course. Unvaccinated youth were also more likely to be from families and friend groups that were unvaccinated. While some expressed distrust of the vaccines, others reported that COVID-19 prevention was not a priority in their lives, but instead concerns over food security, livelihood, and education take precedence. Minoritised youth were more likely to report negative experiences with authorities, including teachers at their schools and police in their communities. Our findings demonstrate that COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is embedded in a context that drives relationships of mistrust between minority communities and authorities, with implications for COVID-19 vaccine uptake. Young people’s attitudes toward vaccines are further patterned by experiences within their community, school, family, and friend groups.