A study found many Australians aren't worried about swine flu but most are still willing to accept the free vaccine.
A study probing the latest opinions on the pandemic flu has found a clear majority (78 per cent) felt it was "always a mild disease or only occasionally severe".
But when asked what they would do when offered a vaccine, just 17 per cent of Australians said they would reject the jab.
"The main reasons given for outright refusal were a perception that the vaccine was unnecessary, concerns about vaccine safety, or the respondents did not believe in vaccination," according to a paper published online by the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA).
Other reasons included "not liking needles", already having a seasonal flu jab or the belief that "flu vaccine causes flu".
The study took in the views of 830 people, and 67 per cent said they were willing to be vaccinated while 13 per cent said they would "wait to see" for any complications before being vaccinated.
"Two thirds of respondents to this national study of adult Australians indicated a willingness to receive pandemic (H1N1) 2009 vaccination," the authors write.
"... despite 78 per cent of respondents regarding the current influenza pandemic as only causing mild disease."
The federal government has secured 21 million doses of the vaccine made by Melbourne-based CSL Ltd, and people should contact their GP to discuss how best to get their free jab.
Study participants were also asked whether they supported plans to donate offshore the millions of vaccine doses not taken up by Australians.
"Australians expressed a spirit of generosity in this study with 96 per cent ... supporting donation of surplus vaccine to neighbouring developing countries," the authors write.
The research was undertaken by a team of experts from the Newcastle-based Hunter New England Population Health and the University of Newcastle.
