Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused largescale morbidity and mortality and a tremendous burden on the healthcare system. Healthcare workers (HCWs) require adequate protection to avoid onward transmission and minimize burden on the healthcare system. Moreover, HCWs can also influence the general public into accepting the COVID-19 vaccine. Therefore, determining COVID-19 vaccine intention among HCWs is of paramount importance to plan tailor-made public health strategies to maximize vaccine coverage. A structured questionnaire was administered in February and March 2021 among HCWs in Saudi Arabia using convenience sampling, proceeding the launch of the vaccination campaign. HCWs from all administrative regions of Saudi Arabia were included in the study. In total, 674 out of 1124 HCWs responded and completed the survey (response rate 59.9%). About 65 percent of the HCWs intended to get vaccinated. The intention to vaccinate was significantly higher among HCWs 50 years of age or older, Saudi nationals and those who followed the updates about COVID-19 vaccines (p < 0.05). The high percentage (26 percent) of those who were undecided in getting vaccinated is a positive sign. As the vaccination campaign gathers pace, the attitude is expected to change over time. Emphasis should be on planning healthcare strategies to convince the undecided HCWs into accepting the vaccine in order to achieve the coverage required to achieve herd immunity.
Highlights
The SARS-CoV-2 virus outbreak that causes coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is one of the largest pandemics to affect humankind during the last century
The current study considered any participant to have an intention to vaccinate if he/she agreed or strongly agreed on the item “I will get vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine”, or if they have already taken the vaccine
A high proportion of participating Healthcare workers (HCWs) have been updating themselves about the development of COVID-19 vaccines (83.5%)
Summary
The SARS-CoV-2 virus outbreak that causes coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is one of the largest pandemics to affect humankind during the last century. Governments scrambled to impose strict preventive measures such as complete, partial or phased lockdowns, social distancing, use of face masks, etc. These measures have been proven to slow down the transmission of the disease, it does lead to indirect mortality and morbidity due to other diseases, and a huge socio-economic burden on the population [1]. Several vaccines have been developed and approved by regulatory bodies and governments in a short time due to the urgency in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic Even though vaccines have been proven to help control the spread and reduce the mortality rates of infectious diseases and are safer and more effective than therapeutics, there are indications of a decline in vaccine acceptance in many parts of the world [2,3].
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