(1) Background: vaccination of healthcare workers (HCWs) against seasonal influenza is considered the most effective way to protect HCWs, ensure patient's safety and to maintain essential health care services during influenza epidemics. With the present study we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of incremental bundles of measures implemented during the last three flu campaigns and to assess the attitudes towards influenza vaccination and a potential vaccine against COVID-19 among HCWs, in a large university hospital in Pisa, Italy. (2) Methods: We described measures implemented during 2018/2019, 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 and assessed their impact on flu vaccine coverage (VC) among employees and residents in Pisa university hospital. We considered sex, profession and ward to investigate differences in uptake. In addition, in 2020 a survey was developed and distributed to all employees to evaluate flu and COVID-19 vaccines attitudes. (3) Results: during the 2018/19 and 2019/20 flu campaigns the overall VC rate among HCWs was, respectively, 10.2% and 11.9%. In 2020/21 the overall VC rate jumped to 39.3% (+ 230.6%). Results from the survey indicated a more positive attitude towards flu vaccine as compared to COVID-19 vaccines among the 10.6% of the staff members who responded to the survey. In addition, 70.97% of HCWs totally agreed that being vaccinated against influenza would be more important than the previous years because of COVID-19 emergency. (4) Conclusions: a significant increase in VC was observed in 2020/21, especially among those sub-groups with consistently lower uptake in previous years. The COVID-19 pandemic positively influenced flu vaccination uptake during the 2020/21 season.
(1) Background: vaccination of healthcare workers (HCWs) against seasonal influenza is considered the most effective way to protect HCWs, ensure patient's safety and to maintain essential health care services during influenza epidemics. With the present study we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of incremental bundles of measures implemented during the last three flu campaigns and to assess the attitudes towards influenza vaccination and a potential vaccine against COVID-19 among HCWs, in a large university hospital in Pisa, Italy. (2) Methods: We described measures implemented during 2018/2019, 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 and assessed their impact on flu vaccine coverage (VC) among employees and residents in Pisa university hospital. We considered sex, profession and ward to investigate differences in uptake. In addition, in 2020 a survey was developed and distributed to all employees to evaluate flu and COVID-19 vaccines attitudes. (3) Results: during the 2018/19 and 2019/20 flu campaigns the overall VC rate among HCWs was, respectively, 10.2% and 11.9%. In 2020/21 the overall VC rate jumped to 39.3% (+ 230.6%). Results from the survey indicated a more positive attitude towards flu vaccine as compared to COVID-19 vaccines among the 10.6% of the staff members who responded to the survey. In addition, 70.97% of HCWs totally agreed that being vaccinated against influenza would be more important than the previous years because of COVID-19 emergency. (4) Conclusions: a significant increase in VC was observed in 2020/21, especially among those sub-groups with consistently lower uptake in previous years. The COVID-19 pandemic positively influenced flu vaccination uptake during the 2020/21 season.
Authors: Malik Sallam; Ramy Mohamed Ghazy; Khaled Al-Salahat; Kholoud Al-Mahzoum; Nadin Mohammad AlHadidi; Huda Eid; Nariman Kareem; Eyad Al-Ajlouni; Rawan Batarseh; Nidaa A Ababneh; Mohammed Sallam; Mariam Alsanafi; Srikanth Umakanthan; Ala'a B Al-Tammemi; Faris G Bakri; Harapan Harapan; Azmi Mahafzah; Salah T Al Awaidy Journal: Vaccines (Basel) Date: 2022-08-19
Authors: Sheikh Taslim Ali; Yiu Chung Lau; Songwei Shan; Sukhyun Ryu; Zhanwei Du; Lin Wang; Xiao-Ke Xu; Dongxuan Chen; Jiaming Xiong; Jungyeon Tae; Tim K Tsang; Peng Wu; Eric H Y Lau; Benjamin J Cowling Journal: Lancet Glob Health Date: 2022-11 Impact factor: 38.927
Authors: Francesca Papini; Sara Mazzilli; Dania Paganini; Lucia Rago; Guglielmo Arzilli; Angelo Pan; Antonio Goglio; Benedetta Tuvo; Gaetano Privitera; Beatrice Casini Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-01-10 Impact factor: 3.390