Several countries have targeted adolescents for immunization against SARS-CoV-2 to mitigate COVID-19 spread. In Italy, immunization for children ≥ 12 years has been available starting from June 2021. We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the knowledge, attitude and intention to vaccinate children < 18 years in Italian families. We used a multinomial logistic regression model to investigate factors associated with intention to vaccinate. We collected a total of 1696 responses. Among the 491 families of children ≥ 12 years, 41.2% would not vaccinate their children and 21.2% were uncertain, while among the 1205 families of children < 12 years, 36.1% would not vaccinate and 33.8% were uncertain. Determinants of intention to vaccinate both age groups were perceived safety and efficacy of vaccines and perceived risk of transmitting infection to adults. For children < 12 years, additional determinants were perceived risk of being infected and being hospitalized because of COVID-19. In view of the expanding strategy to vaccinate adolescents and the availability of immunization for children < 12 years, our results call for a communication strategy targeted at families of children focused on the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine in children and on the dynamics of infection spread across different age groups. As perceptions in families are volatile and may change rapidly over time, repeated surveys for measuring attitudes to vaccinate would be advisable.

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Aim To (1) determine the proportion of 5‐year‐old children born extremely preterm (EPT) with movement difficulties including cerebral palsy (CP) and the proportion of these children receiving motor‐related health care (MRHC), and (2) describe factors associated with receiving MRHC. Method Children born before 28 weeks’ gestation in 2011 to 2012 in 11 European countries were assessed with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition (MABC‐2) at 5 years of age. Information on family characteristics, child health including CP diagnosis, and health care use were collected using parent‐report questionnaires. MRHC was defined as visits in the previous year with health care providers (physical and occupational therapists) specialized in assessing/treating motor problems. We analysed receipt of MRHC and associated factors among children at risk of movement difficulties (MABC‐2 score 6th–15th centiles), with significant movement difficulties (SMD; ≤5th centile) or with CP. Results Of 807 children assessed at 5 years 7 months (SD 4 months; 4 years 7 months–7 years 1 month), 412 were males (51.1%), 170 (21.1%) were at risk of movement difficulties, 201 (24.9%) had SMD, and 92 (11.4%) had CP. Those who received MRHC comprised 89.1% of children with CP, 42.8% with SMD, and 25.9% at risk of movement difficulties. MRHC for children with SMD varied from 23.3% to 66.7% between countries. Children were more likely to receive MRHC if they had other developmental problems or socioemotional, conduct, or attention difficulties. Interpretation Efforts are needed to increase MRHC for 5‐year‐old children born EPT with movement difficulties. What this paper adds Children born extremely preterm without cerebral palsy frequently experienced motor difficulties. Most of these children were not receiving motor‐related health care (MRHC). Large geographical differences throughout Europe were observed in receipt of MRHC. Socioemotional problems were related to MRHC use.