Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Case Status among New Jersey Secondary Educational Professionals

Abstract

Background: Vaccine hesitancy remains a societal problem, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. New Jersey (NJ) Safe Schools Program provides work-based learning training to supervisory-level career–technical–vocational education teachers and administrators who have to consider varied state and local mandates concerning COVID-19 vaccination and exemptions. Methods: In early 2022, we distributed an online survey via PsychData to individuals trained between 2014 and 2022 to understand NJ teachers’ practices and concerns regarding COVID-19 vaccines. Overall, 269 completed the survey. We stratified data by vaccination status, number of doses, booster status, age, teaching experience, gender, race, county of work, and COVID-19 diagnosis status. Results: Overall, results suggested differences in COVID-19-related concerns, including access to, perceptions of, and confidence in COVID-19 vaccines and COVID-19-related practices. About 90.7% received the initial vaccine; 77.7% received the booster. About half the participants had received a positive COVID-19 diagnosis by the time of the survey; they were less likely to get the vaccine or booster if they had received the initial vaccine. Conclusions: Data suggested differences in levels of COVID-19-related concerns and confidence in, or importance of, vaccines when comparing different demographic factors and vaccination practices. The data informs efforts to understand factors affecting vaccine hesitancy among educational professionals.

Perspectives and Attitudes of Newer New Jersey High School Teachers towards Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting Consumer Products Used in School Classrooms

“…Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the NJSS published many papers regarding actions and perceptions among teachers' responses to different COVID-19-related issues. These studies focused on vaccine practices [42,43], teacher mental health [44], perceptions of WBL activities during the pandemic [45], trends in COVID-19 outbreaks [46], and apprenticeships in NJ [47]. These studies are consistent with the NJSS mission to continue understanding NJ experiences and needs during the pandemic and to ensure safe schools for teachers and students.…”