Introduction: Given the high probability of serious illness and mortality from COVID-19 and a delay in the vaccination process in Peru, it is important to know the perception and preferences regarding the available vaccines. Objective: Describe the perception and preferences about vaccines for COVID-19 in residents of a city in northern Peru, 2021. Material and methods: Cross-sectional study, with a sample of (n = 741) inhabitants of the city of Piura Peru in the period May and June 2021, of which 474 (64.0%) were young and 267 (36.0%) were adults. the majority 452 (61.0%) were female, 578 (78.0%). Using an instrument created for this purpose, which was validated by judges and residents of Piura in focus groups. Results: The majority 717 (96.8%) prefer a specific vaccine, being the preferred vaccines from Pfizer (39.68%) and Sinopharm (23.35%). Also, 571 (77.1%) have the expectation that the vaccine will help prevent COVID-19 infection. On the other hand, 426 (89.9%) participants aged between 18 to 26 years (p = 0.005) and 239 (90.9%) dependent workers (p = 0.009) who claim to perceive that the side effects of vaccines are mild. Finally, due to the risk of death, 177 (37.3%) participants aged 18 to 26 years (p = 0.000), 164 (49.0%) participants who live in urbanizations (p = 0.002) and 132 (50.2%) dependent workers (p = 0.000) are looking to get vaccinated on their own. Conclusions: Most prefer a specific vaccine according to its efficacy and side effects; For this reason, it is important to carry out efficient dissemination campaigns on vaccines that could be the support of public figures. On the other hand, citizens are waiting their turn to be vaccinated, but there is a significant percentage of the population that is seeking to be vaccinated by other means. ciones en el lugar de la inyección5. Mientras que en relación a la vacuna de Pfizer su eficacia es de 95%. Sus efectos secundarios son dolor o hinchazón en el lugar de la inyección, sentirse cansado o fatigado, dolor de cabeza, dolores musculares, escalofríos, dolor en las articulaciones, fiebre, enrojecimiento en el lugar de la inyección y náusea6. Así también, se dispone de la vacuna AstraZeneca ha reportado una eficacia mayor del 90% con dos dosis7. Muy a pesar de las características de las vacunas disponibles, aún se reportan desconfianza y poco interés a ser vacunados en Estados Unidos8, China9, Italia10, Polonia11 y otros países12. Aquello, posiblemente muestra una desinformación o escasa información sobre las propiedades de las vacunas a la población objetivo13. En Perú, se ha reportado recientemente que muchos adultos que recibieron su primera dosis no volvieron para recibir la segunda dosis14. Aquello puede darse por una escasa difusión sobre la importancia de las vacunas para reducir la mortalidad del COVID-19. Frente a ello, el objetivo del presente estudio fue describir la percepción sobre la vacunación por COVID-19 en pobladores de una ciudad del norte peruano, 2021.