Attitudes of Healthcare Workers in Israel towards the Fourth Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine

Abstract

Attitudes of healthcare workers (HCWs) toward vaccines are extremely important for increasing vaccination coverage. We conducted a cross-sectional study at the beginning of the fourth COVID-19 vaccination dose campaign among 124 HCWs to evaluate attitudes towards the fourth dose and willingness to get vaccinated. At that time, Israel was the first country to approve the fourth vaccine dose. Most women were unwilling to get the fourth vaccine dose compared to men; 53.9% of physicians were unwilling to get vaccinated compared to 83.3% of nurses and 69% of other HCWs professions. The most frequent concerns regarding the vaccine were its efficacy, benefit, and necessity. The perceived risk and perceived severity of the health risk involved with getting vaccinated with the fourth dose were higher among HCWs who stated that they would not get vaccinated compared to those who were vaccinated or intended to get vaccinated. In contrast, HCWs who were vaccinated with the fourth dose, or those who were planning to get vaccinated, gave higher scores to the perceived benefit of the booster, its advantages, its perceived safety, its ability to protect from severe illness, and the perceived extent of scientific information about the risk associated with the booster. A logistic regression model revealed that perception of the fourth dose’s benefits and risk significantly predict the willingness of HCWs to get vaccinated. Willingness to vaccinate their own children, acceptance of a hypothetical annual booster vaccine, and having less severe adverse effects after prior vaccination were also associated with willingness to get the fourth dose. These findings could help policy makers in developing strategies to expand the acceptance and coverage of the COVID-19 booster doses.

Future COVID-19 Booster Vaccine Refusal in Healthcare Workers after a Massive Breakthrough Infection Wave, a Nationwide Survey-Based Study

“…Data from Singapore showed that hesitancy in nurses (15 [7.4%]) was higher than for staff in medical (0%) and applied health (5 [3.5%]) [ 45 ] professions. A cross-sectional study among Israel healthcare workers showed that 83.3% of nurses were against the fourth dose [ 19 ]. Possible explanations might include more concerns about vaccine effectiveness and safety, and less knowledge about the vaccine among nurses [ 48 ], since nurses were less likely to have a higher education background among the different professions of our participants ( Table S6 ).…”

“…Data from Singaporean public primary care clinics showed that vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers had improved from the first dose to CBV [ 18 ]. A cross-sectional study at the beginning of the fourth COVID-19 vaccination dose campaign in Israel showed that 53.9% of physicians were unwilling to be vaccinated compared to 83.3% of nurses and 69% of other healthcare professions, with the most frequent concerns regarding the vaccine being its efficacy, benefit, and necessity [ 19 ]. In the present study, we aimed to explore the prevalence and determinants of future CBV refusal at this particular time point.…”

Comparison of Health Behaviors of Healthcare Workers and the General Public in Israel: A Cross-Sectional Survey

“…A study conducted during lockdown in Israel before the COVID-19 vaccine was distributed had reported that the level of willingness to be vaccinated was higher among physicians than nurses [ 47 ]. Another study conducted in Israel has reported that 53.9% of physicians were unwilling to get vaccinated with the fourth COVID-19 booster dose, compared to 83.3% of nurses [ 48 ].…”

Association between friends’ hesitancy and personal COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Chinese medical staff

“… 7 A dose-response relationship has been observed where increasing proportions of vaccine-hesitant individuals within one’s social network corresponded to lower likelihoods of personal vaccine acceptance. 8 …”

“… 17 A fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccination has been approved in Israel and Japan in May 2022, mainly for healthy adults who received the third vaccination more than five months ago. 8 , 18 China is also considering initiating a fourth vaccination at an appropriate time in response to a COVID-19 pandemic. 19 The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between hesitancy and friends of Chinese healthcare workers regarding the fourth booster vaccination in the context of social reopening.…”