ABSTRACT
National health departments across the globe have utilized persuasive strategies to promote COVID-19 vaccines through Twitter. However, the effectiveness of those strategies is unclear. This study thereby examined how national health departments deployed persuasive strategies to promote citizen engagement in COVID-19 vaccine-related tweets in six countries, including the UK, the US, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and India. Guided by the heuristic-systematic model and the health belief model, we found that national health departments differed significantly in the use of systematic-heuristic cues and health belief constructs in COVID-19 vaccine-related tweets. Generally, the provision of scientific information and appeals to anecdotes and fear positively, while appeals to bandwagon negatively, predicted citizen engagement. Messages about overcoming barriers and promoting vaccine benefits and self-efficacy positively affected engagement. Emphases of COVID-19 threats and cues to vaccinate demonstrated negative impacts. Importantly, health departments across countries often used futile or detrimental strategies in tweets. A locally adapted evidence-based approach for COVID-19 vaccination persuasion was discussed.
ABSTRACT
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has now become a pandemic threat to the whole world. At the same time, influenza virus has been active, with influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 sharing the same transmission routes. This article aims to alert clinicians of the presence of co-infection with these two viruses and to describe the effect of the measures taken to fight COVID-19 on influenza prevention and control.
ABSTRACT
Importance: Surveys in the US have found that Black and Latinx individuals have more reservations than their white counterparts about COVID-19 vaccination. However, little is known about the degree to which racial-ethnic differences in COVID-19 vaccination intentions are explained by differences in beliefs or perceptions about COVID-19 vaccines. Objective: To compare intention to receive COVID-19 vaccination by race-ethnicity, to identify perceptional factors that may mediate the association between race-ethnicity and intention to receive the vaccine, and to identify the demographic and perceptional factors most strongly predictive of intention to receive a vaccine. Design: Cross-sectional survey conducted from November, 2020 to January, 2021, nested within two longitudinal cohort studies of prevalence and incidence of SARS CoV-2 among the general population and healthcare workers. Setting: Six San Francisco Bay Area counties. Study Cohort: 3,161 participants in the Track COVID cohort (a population-based sample of adults) and 1,803 participants in the CHART Study cohort (a cohort of employees at three large medical centers). Results: Rates of high vaccine willingness were significantly lower among Black (45.3%), Latinx (62.5%), Asian (65%), multi-racial (67.2%), and other race (61.0%) respondents than among white respondents (77.6%). Black, Latinx, and Asian respondents were significantly more likely than white respondents to endorse reasons to not get vaccinated, especially lack of trust. Participants' motivations and concerns about COVID-19 vaccination only partially explained racial-ethnic differences in vaccination willingness. Being a health worker in the CHART cohort and concern about a rushed government vaccine approval process were the two most important factors predicting vaccination intention. Conclusions and Relevance: Special efforts are required to reach historically marginalized racial-ethnic communities to support informed decision-making about COVID-19 vaccination. These campaigns must acknowledge the history of racism in biomedical research and health care delivery that has degraded the trustworthiness of health and medical science institutions among non-white population and may continue to undermine confidence in COVID-19 vaccines.
Subject(s)
COVID-19ABSTRACT
Background: Healthcare personnel (HCP) are prioritized for earliest SARS-CoV-2 vaccine administration, yet relatively few data exist on HCP's knowledge, motivations, concerns, and intentions regarding COVID-19 vaccines. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey Nov.16-Dec.8, 2020 among HCP enrolled in a cohort study at three Northern California medical centers serving diverse roles including COVID-19 patient care. Eligible HCP were adult (age<=18) on-site employees of the University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco General Hospital, and Stanford Healthcare. A one-time electronically-administered survey was sent to cohort HCP on November 16, 2020 and responses analyzed. Results: Overall, among 2,448 HCP invited, 2,135 completed the COVID-19 vaccine survey (87.2% response rate). HCPs had mean age 41 years, were 73% female, and had diverse jobs including COVID-19 patient contact. Enthusiasm for vaccination was overall strong, and more HCP (1,453, 69%) said they would definitely/likely receive vaccine if formally FDA-approved versus if approved via emergency use authorization only (785, 35%). While 541 (25%) respondents wanted to be among the earliest to receive vaccine, more desired vaccination after the first round (777, 36%) or >2 months after vaccinations began (389, 18%). Top factors increasing motivation for vaccination included perceiving risk from COVID-19 to self (1,382, 65%) or to family/friends (1355, 63%). Top concerns were vaccine side effects, cited by 596 (28%), and concerns about political involvement in FDA's approval process (249, 12%). Conclusions: HCP were enthusiastic about COVID-19 vaccination for individual protection and protecting others, but harbored concerns about vaccine side effects. Our data may inform emerging vaccine education campaigns.
Subject(s)
COVID-19ABSTRACT
Since December 21, 2019, on-board inspection had been implemented on direct flights from Wuhan, China, marking the beginning of boarder quarantine challenges in respond to COVID-19 pandemic. In line with the development of the international epidemic, the Central Epidemic Command Center gradually expanded entry restrictions and post-entry quarantine requirements. Since March 19, 2020, all foreign nationals had been prohibited from entering Taiwan. Passengers eligible for entry were required to undergo home quarantine for 14 days. Upon arrival, passengers were required to declare their symptoms and travel history, and to receive fever screening and health assessment. Throat swab specimens were collected from those who presented symptoms at the airport or in the hospital, and then these passengers stayed in a centralized quarantine facility to wait for testing results. In addition, aiming at reducing risks originated from crowds and frequent movement, only aircrafts from five airports in China were allowed to enter Taiwan. Also, all connecting flights were suspended, and cruises and cross-strait passenger liners were banned from calling at ports of Taiwan. For front-line officers at ports of entry, health monitoring and protection guidelines were developed to protect their safety. In order to ensure safety and security of air and sea transport, the competent authorities in charge of transportation have established an epidemic prevention and management mechanism for air and sea transport respectively. Over 184,000 home quarantine notices had been issued by border quarantine authorities. More than 80% of the inbound travelers completed the declaration via Entry Quarantine System, greatly improving timeliness and accuracy of information required for further epidemic prevention and control in community. With on-board quarantine and health surveillance system for entry, not only the first confirmed case in Taiwan, but also more than one-third of imported cases were detected through border quarantine, sparing more capacity for domestic response and preparedness for medical resources and medical systems and therefore alleviating pressure on epidemic prevention and control in the community. Despite continuous and serious epidemic and significant challenges ahead, Taiwan keeps on implementing various quarantine measures in accordance with the principle of ＂strict risk control at border ＂ to comprehensively protect border security.