1234-7175 Fearing the disease and fearing the vaccine – what drives choices concerning influenza and COVID-19 immunization in Poland Szymański Igor author Płócienniczak Piotr author Stasicka Julianna author Uniwersytet Medyczny im. Karola Marcinkowskiego w Poznaniu Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Poznaniu 0532c1x92 Correspondence to: Igor Szymański igor.s.szymanski@gmail.com Correspondence to: Piotr Płócienniczak Correspondence to: Julianna Stasicka 28 06 2024 Tom 39 Numer 1 Tom 39 (2024) 13 24 Copyright © 2024 2024 <p>Vaccination is one of the greatest healthcare achievements and one the most important scientific developments of the human civilization. Epidemiological status and population’s attitude towards vaccination has been evolving rapidly in recent years. The main goal of this article is to assess and compare people’s approach towards influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, in addition to identifying the most prevalent information sources concerning both the former and the latter. As a research method, data obtained from 150 online surveys submitted by respondents were analysed. The results suggest connection between COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations. The study was designed to provide a better understanding of public attitudes in favour as well as against the vaccinations. The results obtained regarding the public views on influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations can be pointed out as an additional value derived from the research.</p> 1 Becker T., Elbahesh H., Reperant L.A., Rimmelzwaan G.F., Osterhaus A. (2021). Influenza vaccines: Successes and continuing challenges. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 224(12 Suppl 2), https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiab269. 2 BIP (2019). Główny Inspektor Sanitarny do RPO: 43 tys. osób bez obowiązkowych szczepień, https://bip.brpo.gov.pl/pl/content/GIS-do-RPO-43-tys.-osob-odmawia-obowiazkowych-szczepien (accessed: 26.11.2023). 3 CBOS (2020). Stosunek do szczepień przeciw COVID-19 i grypie, https://www.cbos.pl/SPISKOM.POL/2020/K_154_20 .PDF (accessed: 26.11.2023). 4 Matveeva O., Shabalina S.A. (2023). Comparison of vaccination and booster rates and their impact on excess mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic in European countries. Frontiers in Immunology, 14:1151311, https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1151311. 5 OECD (2023), Influenza vaccination rates (indicator), https://doi.org/10.1787/e452582e-en. 6 PSSE – Powiatowa Stacja Sanitarno-Epidemiologiczna (2023). Grypa – sezon 2023/2024, https://www.gov.pl/attachment/389004e0-3884-41df-a5ec-fc1f1602e179. (accessed: 28.12.2023). 7 Rzymski P., Borkowski L., Drąg M., Flisiak R., Jemielity J., Krajewski, J., Mastalerz-Migas A., Matyja A., Pyrć K., Simon K., Sutkowski M., Wysocki J., Zajkowska J., Fal A. (2021). The strategies to support the COVID-19 vaccination with evidence-based communication and tackling misinformation. Vaccines, 9(2), 109, 1–9, https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9020109. 8 Walkowiak M.P., Domaradzki J., Walkowiak D.(2022). Better late than never: Predictors of delayed COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Poland. Vaccines, 10(4), 528, https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10040528. 9 Wawrzuta D., Jaworski M., Gotlib J., Panczyk M. (2021). What arguments against COVID-19 vaccines run on Facebook in Poland: Content analysis of comments. Vaccines, 9(5), 481, https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9050481. 10 WHO (2023). Vaccines and Immunization, https://www.who.int/health-topics/vaccines-and-immunization (accessed: 26.11.2023). 11 Żuk P., Żuk P. (2020). Right-wing populism in Poland and anti-vaccine myths on YouTube: Political and cultural threats to public health. Global Public Health, 1–15, https://doi.org/10.1080/17441692.2020.1718733.