Perception of risk and intention for vaccination in times of Covid-19 emergency in an Indian sample

Many countries including India are struggling with the Covid-19 emergency. India started an official nation-wide immunisation campaign before the outbreak of the second wave in March 2021. However, the acceptance of vaccines was shaped by several factors including risk perception. The current study aimed at investigating the perception and susceptibility to the risk of ongoing Covid-19 emergency, and intention to get vaccinated among the Indian population. The online study involved 308 participants from different regions across India. Results showed that intention to get vaccinated was positively correlated with perception of risk, pro-sociality, use of preventive behaviours, and trust in science and medical professionals. The study highlighted the psychological and demographic variables which can be useful to tailor public health outreach programs in future pandemics.