SAN FRANCISCO, California: According to a survey published this week by the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Vaccine Monitor, only 18 percent of parents of children under the age of 5 years said they would have their children vaccinated against COVID-19 once a vaccine becomes available.

Nearly 40 percent of parents in the survey said they would “wait and see,” while 11 percent said they would have their children vaccinated only if required, while 27 percent said they would “definitely not” vaccinate their children.

More than half of parents with children in this group said they “don’t have enough information about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines for children in this age group,” compared with 34 percent of parents of children ages 5-11 and 25 percent of parents of children ages 12-17.

Some 13 percent of parents said the delay by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in authorizing a vaccine in the under 5 age group made them less confident about its safety, while 22 percent said it made them more confident.

Among parents of older children, 39 percent of parents of those aged from 5 to 11 said their children were vaccinated, while 32 percent said they would definitely not vaccinate their children.

Most parents, some 80 percent, who responded to the survey also said they felt that their children were somewhat safe from COVID-19 while at school, but their answers varied depending on race.

The survey also showed a “large shift” in school mask requirements, with only 16 percent of parents agreeing their children needed to wear a mask at school in April, compared with 69 percent in September.