The general public’s intent to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in Saudi Arabia

The production of vaccines for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has given hope to many countries that they can finally control a pandemic that has already killed millions of people around the world. Nevertheless, vaccine coverage must be wide to ensure the success of the global vaccination initiative. Using theory of planned behaviour (TPB), the current research aimed to assess the intent of the general Saudi Arabian public to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted during the first week of January 2021. A total of 487 participants completed an online questionnaire that assessed their intentions, attitudes, perceived norms and perceived behavioural control. The results showed that almost half of the study participants (47.43%) intended to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. All components of TPB predicted this intention, although perceived behavioural control was a negative predictor. The findings suggest that COVID-19 vaccine campaigns should continue to focus on improving public attitudes and perceived norms, which can help increase the number of people willing to undergo vaccination. Moreover, further studies are needed to explore the effects of perceived behavioural control on such intentions.