The Role of Religious Belief in COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy

With the global outbreak of COVID-19, it is important that vaccination be emphasized to build herd immunity. However, vaccine hesitancy is negatively associated. Religious views impact the interpretations and acceptance of medical and scientific evidence, leading to a variety of responses to vaccination, such as vaccine hesitancy. The aim of this study was to delve into the reluctance of religious individuals towards vaccines, particularly towards COVID-19. An integrative review was conducted using PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases to find articles from 2020 to 2023. Twenty articles were selected for review. The review found that religiosity is negatively associated with COVID-19 vaccine uptake across different religious groups. The article proposes a theoretical way to mitigate religious influence on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.