[en] In Belgium, nursing home staff (NHS) and residents were prioritised for COVID-19 vaccination. However, vaccine hesitancy may have impacted vaccination rates. In this study, a random stratified sample of NHS (N = 1142), vaccinated and unvaccinated, completed an online questionnaire on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (between 31 July and 15 November 2021). NHS who hesitated or refused the vaccine were asked for the main reason for their hesitation/refusal. Those who hesitated, but eventually accepted vaccination, were asked why they changed their minds. Overall, 29.5% of all respondents hesitated before accepting vaccination, were still hesitating, or refused vaccination. Principal reasons were fear of unknown future effects (55.1% of vaccinated participants that hesitated and 19.5% who refused), fear of side-effects (12.7% of vaccinated participants that hesitated and 12.2% who refused), and mistrust in vaccination (10.5% of vaccinated participants that hesitated and 12.2% who refused). For vaccinated participants who hesitated initially, protecting the vulnerable was the main reason they changed their minds. Given this degree of fear and proposals to mandate vaccination among healthcare workers, communicating with NHS on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine should be prioritised.
Disciplines :
Public health, health care sciences & services General & internal medicine
Van Ngoc, Pauline ✱; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cliniques > Médecine générale
Delogne, Simon; Research Unit of Primary Care and Health, Department of General Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Meyers, Eline; Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Deschepper, Ellen; Biostatistics Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Duysburgh, Els ; Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sciensano, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
De Rop, Liselore; EPI-Centre, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
De Burghgraeve, Tine; EPI-Centre, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Coen, Anja; Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
De Clercq, Nele; Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Sutter, An De; Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Verbakel, Jan Y ; EPI-Centre, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium ; Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK
Cools, Piet ; Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Heytens, Stefan; Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
BURET, Laetitia ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Soins primaires et santé
Scholtes, Béatrice ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cliniques > Médecine générale
scite shows how a scientific paper has been cited by providing the context of the citation, a classification describing whether it supports, mentions, or contrasts the cited claim, and a label indicating in which section the citation was made.
Bibliography
World Health Organization. Report of the WHO-China Joint Mission on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) 16–24 February 2020; World Health Organization: Geneva, Switzerland, 2020.
Callies, M.; Int Panis, L.; Dequeker, S.; Latour, K.; Rebolledo Gonzalez, J.; Vandael, E.; Sierra, B.N.; der Heyden, V.J. Surveillance in Nursing Homes. Report Week 35 (Data through 31 August 2021). 2021. Available online: https://www.info-coronavirus.be/nl/(accessed on 17 November 2021).
Catteau, L.; Haarhuis, F.; Dequeker, S.; Vandael, E.; Stouten, V.; Litzroth, A.; Wyndham, T. Thematisch Rapport: Surveillance Van De Covid-19 Vaccinatie in Belgische Woonzorgcentra. 2021. Available online: https://covid-19.sciensano.be/sites/default/files/Co-vid19/COVID-19_THEMATIC REPORT_SURVEILLANCE VAN DE VACCINATIE IN BELGISCHE WOONZORGCEN-TRA.pdf (accessed on 7 June 2021).
Meyers, E.; Deschepper, E.; Duysburgh, E.; De Rop, L.; De Burghgraeve, T.; Van Ngoc, P.; Di Gregorio, M.; Delogne, S.; Coen, A.; De Clercq, N.; et al. SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence among Vaccinated Nursing Home Residents and Staff in Belgium in August 2021 Brief Communication on Preliminary Results of The Scope Study. 2021. https://www.sciensano.be/sites/default/files/sars-cov-2_among_nh_residents_brief_communication_20210831_1.pdf (accessed on 14 February 2022).
Daugherty, J.D.; Blake, S.C.; Grosholz, J.M.; Omer, S.B.; Polivka-West, L.; Howard, D.H. Influenza Vaccination Rates and Beliefs about vaccination Among Nursing Home Employees. Am. J. Infect. Control 2015, 43, 100–106. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.AJIC.2014.08.021. Available online: http://www.ajicjournal.org/article/S0196655314011432/fulltext (accessed on 17 November 2021).
Leshem, E.; Lopman, B.A. Population Immunity and Vaccine Protection Against Infection. Lancet 2021, 397, 1685–1687. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00870-9. Available online: http://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140673621008709/fulltext (accessed on 16 November 2021).
ECDC. Overview of the Implementation of COVID-19 Vaccination Strategies and Vaccine Deployment Plans in the EU and EEA; ECDC: Stockholm, Sweden, 2021.
World Health Organization. Ten Threats to Global Health in 2019; WHO: Geneva, Switzerland, 2019. Available online: https://www.who.int/news-room/spotlight/ten-threats-to-global-health-in-2019 (accessed on 17 November 2021).
Nohl, A.; Afflerbach, C.; Lurz, C.; Brune, B.; Ohmann, T.; Weichert, V.; Zeiger, S.; Dudda, M. Acceptance of covid-19 vaccination among front-line health care workers: A nationwide survey of emergency medical services personnel from Germany. Vaccines 2021, 9, 424. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9050424.
Soares, P.; Rocha, J.V.; Moniz, M.; Gama, A.; Laires, P.A.; Pedro, A.R.; Dias, S.; Leite, A.; Nunes, C. Factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Vaccines 2021, 9, 300. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9030300.
Holzmann-Littig, C.; Braunisch, M.C.; Kranke, P.; Popp, M.; Seeber, C.; Fichtner, F.; Littig, B.; Carbajo-Lozoya, J.; Allwang, C.; Frank, T.; et al. Covid-19 vaccination acceptance and hesitancy among healthcare workers in Germany. Vaccines 2021, 9, 777. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9070777.
Robertson, E.; Reeve, K.S.; Niedzwiedz, C.L.; Moore, J.; Blake, M.; Green, M.; Katikireddi, S.V.; Benzeval, M.J. Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in the UK Household Longitudinal Study. Brain. Behav. Immun. 2021, 94, 41–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BBI.2021.03.008. Available online: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33713824/(accessed on 29 November 2021).
Fisher, K.A.; Bloomstone, S.J.; Walder, J.; Crawford, S.; Fouayzi, H.; Mazor, K.M. Attitudes Toward a Potential SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine: A Survey of U.S. Adults. Ann. Intern. Med. 2020, 173, 964–973. https://doi.org/10.7326/M20-3569. Available online: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32886525/(accessed on 29 November 2021).
Verger, P.; Scronias, D.; Dauby, N.; Adedzi, K.A.; Gobert, C.; Bergeat, M.; Gagneur, A.; Dubé, E. Attitudes of Healthcare Workers towards COVID-19 Vaccination: A Survey in France and French-Speaking Parts of Belgium and Canada, 2020. Eurosurveillance 2021, 26, 1. https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.3.2002047. Available online:/pmc/articles/PMC7848677/(accessed on 5 October 2021).
Di Giuseppe, G.; Pelullo, C.P.; Della Polla, G.; Montemurro, M.V.; Napolitano, F.; Pavia, M.; Angelillo, I.F. Surveying Willingness toward SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination of Healthcare Workers in Italy. Expert Rev. Vaccines 2021, 20, 881–889. https://doi.org/10.1080/14760584.2021.1922081. Available online: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33900148/(accessed on 28 March 2022).
Wang, J.; Lu, X.; Lai, X.; Lyu, Y.; Zhang, H.; Fenghuang, Y.; Jing, R.; Li, L.; Yu, W.; Fang, H. The Changing Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccination in Different Epidemic Phases in China: A Longitudinal Study. Vaccines 2021, 9, 191. https://doi.org/10.3390/VACCINES9030191. Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/3/191/htm (accessed on 28 March 2022).
Spinewine, A.; Pétein, C.; Evrard, P.; Vastrade, C.; Laurent, C.; Delaere, B.; Henrard, S. Attitudes towards COVID-19 Vaccination among Hospital Staff-Understanding What Matters to Hesitant People. Vaccines 2021, 9, 469. https://doi.org/10.3390/VACCINES9050469.Available online: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34066476/(accessed on 20 December 2021).
Valckx, S.; Crèvecoeur, J.; Verelst, F.; Vranckx, M.; Hendrickx, G.; Hens, N.; Van Damme, P.; Pepermans, K.; Beutels, P.; Neyens, T. Individual Factors Influencing COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance in between and During Pandemic Waves (July–December 2020). Vaccine 2021, 40, 151–161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.10.073. Available online: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34863621/(accessed on 20 December 2021).
Kessels, R.; Luyten, J.; Tubeuf, S. Willingness to Get Vaccinated against COVID-19 and Attitudes toward Vaccination in General. Vaccine 2021, 39, 4716–4722. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.VACCINE.2021.05.069. Available online: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34119349/(accessed on 20 December 2021).
Sciensano Protocol: SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence among Nursing Home Staff and Residents in Belgium. Available online: https://www.sciensano.be/sites/default/files/v6.2_2021-06-23_proposal_sars-cov-2_seroprevalence:study_in_belgian_nh.pdf (accessed on 14 February 2022).
Larson, H.J.; Jarrett, C.; Schulz, W.S.; Chaudhuri, M.; Zhou, Y.; Dube, E.; Schuster, M.; Macdonald, N.E.; Wilson, R. Measuring Vaccine Hesitancy: The Development of a Survey Tool. Vaccine 2015, 33, 4165–4175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.04.037.
Unroe, K.T.; Evans, R.; Weaver, L.; Rusyniak, D.; Blackburn, J. Willingness of Long-Term Care Staff to Receive a COVID-19 Vaccine: A Single State Survey. J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. 2021, 69, 593–599. https://doi.org/10.1111/JGS.17022. Available online: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jgs.17022 (accessed on 8 December 2021).
Catteau, L.; Van Loenhout, J.; Stouten, V.; Billuart, M.; Hubin, P.; Haarhuis, F.; Wyndham, C. Rapport Thématique: Couverture Vaccinale Et Impact Epidémiologique De La Campagne De Vaccination COVID-19 En Belgique; 2021. Available online: https://covid-19.sciensano.be/sites/default/files/Covid19/COVID-19_THEMATIC_REPORT_VaccineCoverageAndImpactReport_FR.pdf (accessed on 24 January 2022).
Paul, E.; Steptoe, A.; Fancourt, D. Attitudes towards vaccines and intention to vaccinate against COVID-19: Implications for public health communications. Lancet Reg. Health-Eur. 2021, 1, 100012. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.LANEPE.2020.100012.
Robson, C. Real World Research A Resource for Social Scientists and Practitioner-Researchers, 2nd ed.; Oxford Blackwell Publishers Ltd.: Oxford, UK, 2002.
AVIQ Certificat Numérique Covid Safe Ticket|AVIQ. Available online: https://covid.aviq.be/fr/covidsafeticket (accessed on 2 February 2022).
Gezondheid, A.Z. en Covid Safe Ticket (CST) Als Toegangsvoorwaarde|Vlaanderen.be. Available online: https://www.vlaan-deren.be/covid-safe-ticket-cst-als-toegangsvoorwaarde (accessed on 14 February 2022).
Porat, T.; Burnell, R.; Calvo, R.A.; Ford, E.; Paudyal, P.; Baxter, W.L.; Parush, A. “Vaccine Passports” May Backfire: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Study in the UK and Israel on Willingness to Get Vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccines 2021, 9, 902. https://doi.org/10.3390/VACCINES9080902. Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/8/902/htm (accessed on 7 April 2022).
Gallè, F.; Sabella, E.A.; Roma, P.; Da Molin, G.; Diella, G.; Montagna, M.T.; Ferracuti, S.; Liguori, G.; Orsi, G.B.; Napoli, C. Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccination in the Elderly: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southern Italy. Vaccines 2021, 9, 1222. https://doi.org/10.3390/VACCINES9111222. Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/11/1222/htm (accessed on 7 April 2022).
Stojanovic, J.; Boucher, V.G.; Gagne, M.; Gupta, S.; Joyal-Desmarais, K.; Paduano, S.; Aburub, A.S.; Sheinfeld Gorin, S.N.; Kassianos, A.P.; Ribeiro, P.A.B.; et al. Global Trends and Correlates of COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy: Findings from the iCARE Study. Vaccines 2021, 9, 661. https://doi.org/10.3390/VACCINES9060661. Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/6/661/htm (accessed on 7 April 2022).
This website uses cookies to improve user experience. Read more
Save & Close
Accept all
Decline all
Show detailsHide details
Cookie declaration
About cookies
Strictly necessary
Performance
Strictly necessary cookies allow core website functionality such as user login and account management. The website cannot be used properly without strictly necessary cookies.
This cookie is used by Cookie-Script.com service to remember visitor cookie consent preferences. It is necessary for Cookie-Script.com cookie banner to work properly.
Performance cookies are used to see how visitors use the website, eg. analytics cookies. Those cookies cannot be used to directly identify a certain visitor.
Used to store the attribution information, the referrer initially used to visit the website
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer by websites that you visit. Websites use cookies to help users navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. Cookies that are required for the website to operate properly are allowed to be set without your permission. All other cookies need to be approved before they can be set in the browser.
You can change your consent to cookie usage at any time on our Privacy Policy page.
