COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Hesitancy (VBH) of Healthcare Workers in Czechia: National Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

The emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants and waning vaccine-elicited immunity are two public health challenges that occurred simultaneously and synergistically during the summer of 2021 and led to a surging demand for COVID-19 vaccine booster dose (BD) rollout. This study aimed to evaluate the COVID-19 vaccine booster hesitancy (VBH) among Czech healthcare workers to explore the potential determinants of VBH. A national cross-sectional survey-based study was carried out between 3 and 11 November 2021, using an online self-administered questionnaire (SAQ) that explored the participants’ demographic characteristics, COVID-19 infection and vaccine anamneses, willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccine BD, and the psychosocial drivers of VBH. A total of 3454 HCW properly responded to the online SAQ, of which 80.9% were females, 30.3% were medical professionals, and 50.5% were ≤47 years old. Most of the participants were already inoculated against SARS-CoV-2 (95.2%), and BTN162b2 was the most commonly administered vaccine (90.7%). As the study sample was planned to represent the target population, it revealed a high level of BD acceptance (71.3%) among Czech HCW, while 12.2% were still hesitant and 16.6% were against the currently available BD. These results are consistent with other recent results from central Europe. Medical professional, male, and older participants were more likely to accept BD rather than allied health professional, female, and younger participants. The BDs’ perceived effectiveness against severe illness, symptomatic infection, and community transmission was a significant and strong predictor for BD acceptance, while the effectiveness against the circulating variants was not that important for our target population. The BDs’ perceived safety and ethical dilemmas of vaccine justice should be addressed sufficiently while communicating with HCW and other population groups. The altruistic reasons for BD acceptance, i.e., family protection, patient protection, and community health protection, underpin the recommendation of postponing the COVID-19 vaccine mandating in favour of stressing these altruistic concerns amid public health messaging.

Intention to Receive the COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Dose in a University Community in Italy

“…A notable finding was that the hesitancy towards the booster dose was low among the responders since 24.7% of the sample were classified as hesitant with a total VHS score ≥25. Other surveys have found varying proportions of participants willing to receive the booster dose with values of 55.3% among HCWs in Saudi Arabia [13], 61.8% in adult Americans [14], 71% among adults in Poland [10], 71.3% among HCWs in Czechia [15], 83.6% a hypothetical yearly booster vaccine among healthcare workers in the United States [12], 84.5% among medical students in Japan [11], and 91.1% in the general population in China [16]. In the present study interviewees highlighted that the most common reasons in vaccine-related decision-making were because they would protect themselves and their relatives.…”

“…Hesitancy and willingness in relation to the COVID-19 vaccination have been investigated in different groups worldwide with a number of individuals who would either be unwilling to receive it or refuse it altogether despite the severity of the disease [8,9]. However, little is known yet about the intention to receive the booster dose [10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. In this current scenario, this is a challenging issue.…”

Willingness of the Jordanian Population to Receive a COVID-19 Booster Dose: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…The total acceptability percentage for a booster vaccine among healthcare professionals in the United States was 83.6% [ 10 ]. Furthermore, it was strong (71.3%) among Czech healthcare professionals, with 12.2% uncertain and 16.6% against [ 11 ]. In Poland, 71% of adults expressed willingness to accept the booster dose [ 12 ].…”

Acceptance of a Third Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine and Associated Factors in China Based on Health Belief Model: A National Cross-Sectional Study

“…For healthcare workers in the United States, the overall acceptance rate for a booster vaccination was 83.6% [13]. In addition, it was high (71.3%) among healthcare workers in Czechia, while 12.2% remained undecided and 16.6% opposed [14]. In Poland, 71% the adults expressed willingness to receive the booster dose [15].…”