Even as India gears up for the mass-vaccination drive which is slated to begin within few days, about 69 per cent are still hesitant to take the COVID-19 shots, a survey revealed on Wednesday.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), on Sunday, announced approval of two vaccines -- Oxford-AstraZeneca's Covishield manufactured by Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin -- against coronavirus infection for restricted emergency use.

The survey conducted by LocalCircles in January has concluded that Indians' hesitancy over COVID-19 vaccines remains unchanged in November and December 2020, with 69 per cent maintaining that they will not rush to take it.

To the question that received 8,723 responses, only 26 per cent of citizens said that they will get it as soon as it becomes available via private or any healthcare channels, while five per cent said they are for health or frontline workers and will get themselves vaccinated on priority through government channels.

The survey result indicated that the hesitancy of citizens remains unchanged at 69 per cent unwilling to take it despite two vaccines receiving the regulator's green signal for vaccination.

This percentage remains unchanged with the result published in December 2020. In November and October 2020 surveys, 59 per cent and 61 per cent of citizens were hesitant to take the vaccine.

(IANS)