Perception of Health Care Worker about Uptake of Influenza Vaccine in COVID-19 Era
Amal M. Alshahrani
Department of Public Health, General Directorate of Health Affairs in Aseer Region, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia.
Hamzh Esam Mellebary
College of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Yara Rashed A. Albayyahi
College of Medicine, Almaarefa University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Ali Ibrahim Ali Alsakiti
College of Medicine, King Khaled University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
Abdullaziz A. Alshahrani
College of Medicine, King Khaled University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed Abdulrahman Alasmari
College of Medicine, King Khaled University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
Abdulaziz Zafer AlShahrani
Faculty of Applied Medical Science, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Ziyad Ali Alosayfir
College of Medicine, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia.
Hawra Hussain Al Radhwan
College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Abdulmajeed Dhafer Alshahrani
Faculty of Applied Medical Science, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Omar Alsudairy
College of Medicine, Almaarefa University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Alhanouf Dhaifallah Hamad Alharbi
College of Medicine, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia.
Mohmmed A. Alshehri *
College of Medicine, King Khaled University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Considering the important role of health workers in increasing seasonal influenza vaccination coverage and the similarity of seasonal influenza to COVID -19, it is important to increase vaccination rates to reduce the risk of both diseases.
Objective: In this study, we aim to investigate how health workers perceive the importance of influenza vaccination, especially in the era of COVID -19.
Results: The study involved 316 health workers from Abha in 2021, most of them were physicians, male and young. Participants agreed that influenza can be a serious illness and that the vaccine is very safe. Most HCWs would have preferred to inform their patients about the vaccine. This result changes if the patient disagrees with the COVID -19 vaccine.
Conclusion: Despite the low rate of seasonal influenza vaccination, there is a need to recruit health workers to increase this rate, especially in the Covid 19 era.
Keywords: COVID-19, vaccine, influenza, Saudi Arabia, vaccination, HCWs