Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination has raised concerns about vaccine hesitancy in general and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in particular. Understanding the factors driving the uncertainty regarding vaccination against COVID-19 is crucial. Methods This cross-sectional study was designed to identify the perceptions and attitudes of healthcare workers (HCWs) towards COVID-19 vaccines and determine the predictive factors that affect their willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. An online survey was distributed among HCWs to collect data assessing demographic and general characteristics of the participants and vaccine-related characteristics, including source of information about the vaccine. In addition to items assessing the perception of COVID-19, there were items on COVID-19 vaccines and attitude towards vaccination in general and towards COVID-19 vaccines in particular. Results The participants were classified according to their willingness to take the COVID-19 vaccine as follows: hesitant (41.9%), refusing (32.1%), and willing (26%). Statistically significant differences were observed among the three groups for the perception of COVID-19 vaccines, attitude towards vaccination in general, and COVID-19 vaccines in particular ( p < 0.01). Conclusions Although the participants adequately perceived COVID-19 severity, prevention, and COVID-19 vaccine safety, they were widely hesitant or refused to be vaccinated. A multidimensional approach is required to increase the vaccine acceptability rate. Higher income and increased years of work experience are positive predictors of willingness to receive a vaccine. Thus, further studies addressing the scope of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy are warranted as an initial step to build trust in COVID-19 vaccination efforts with continuous monitoring of attitudes and practices of HCWs towards COVID-19 vaccines in the future. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12879-021-06392-1.
【저자키워드】 Vaccine hesitancy, second wave, Egypt, COVID-19 pandemic; COVID-19 vaccine, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, Coronavirus disease 2019, Vaccine, COVID-19 vaccine, vaccination, cross-sectional, COVID-19 severity, healthcare worker, continuous monitoring, COVID-19 vaccines, Characteristics, COVID-19 vaccination, HCWs, understanding, predictor, information, HCW, Predictive, Factor, significant difference, supplementary material, effort, participant, positive, driving, Affect, approach, vaccination against COVID-19, initial, Result, identify, addition, raised, required, determine, the vaccine, three group, receive, build, multidimensional, 【제목키워드】 COVID-19 vaccine, cross-sectional, healthcare,