COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy appears to be high among injecting drug users. 

Somewhat ironically, around half of the injecting drug users in a new survey report being hesitant to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. 

The Australian research comes from a survey conducted as part of a national illicit drug monitoring system. 

Apparently, people who are willing to inject drugs made in home labs with no testing or standards still have concerns with vaccine safety and side effects. 

Researchers analysing the result say this level of hesitancy was substantially higher than that of the general population at a similar time, and warrants a targeted strategy to maximise vaccine uptake as this group of people. 

It is especially important given injecting drug users are likely to be at higher risk of COVID-19 transmission and more severe negative health outcomes. 

The study is accessible here.