Low COVID, flu vaccine uptake noted in US healthcare workers

Throughout the 2023-24 chilly and flu season, healthcare employees, together with nursing dwelling personnel and employees, had low uptake of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses and seasonal flu vaccines, regardless of a constant advice from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to remain updated on these vaccines.

The findings, printed yesterday in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, confirmed regional variations in uptake. 

The Nationwide Healthcare Security Community (NHSN) tracks vaccination amongst healthcare employees in hospitals, clinics, and nursing houses. From October 2023 to March 2024, NHSN outlined up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination as receipt of a 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine, and up-to-date seasonal flu vaccine with that season’s immunization. 

Amongst roughly 8.8 million healthcare personnel working in additional than 4,000 acute care hospitals, flu vaccine protection was 80.7%. Amongst roughly 2.1 million healthcare personnel working in 14,294 nursing houses, flu vaccine protection was 45.4%.

COVID vaccine uptake decrease than for flu 

COVID vaccine uptake was a lot decrease. Among the many staff working in acute care hospitals, solely 15.3% had been vaccinated. The share was even decrease in nursing houses, at 10.5% general.

Uptake of COVID-19 vaccines was highest within the Pacific area for each acute care hospital employees and nursing dwelling employees. Uptake was lowest in Mountain and Southern states, the authors stated.

For the flu vaccine, uptake was highest within the Mountain area (84.5%) and lowest within the Pacific area (74.3%) for acute care hospitals. Vaccination protection was highest within the Northeast area (58.6%) and lowest within the South area (38.1%) for nursing houses. 

The authors stated uptake in COVID-19 vaccines decreased sharply from the earlier 12 months. 

Protection with COVID-19 vaccination amongst healthcare personnel in nursing houses decreased from 22.8% in the course of the 2022–23 respiratory virus season to 10.5% in the course of the 2023–24 respiratory virus season.

“Protection with COVID-19 vaccination amongst healthcare personnel in nursing houses decreased from 22.8% in the course of the 2022–23 respiratory virus season to 10.5% in the course of the 2023–24 respiratory virus season,” they wrote. “Like findings in earlier research, the present findings spotlight the necessity to additional examine limitations to vaccination amongst well being care personnel and determine extra methods to handle these challenges.