COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Its Determinants among Migrants in Germany-Results of a Cross-Sectional Study.

Vaccinations are a core element of infection control. Migrants have been reported to have low vaccination rates for many infectious diseases, including COVID-19. Still, determinants of migrants' uptake of COVID-19 vaccinations are not sufficiently clear. The present study addresses this gap and examines the respective influence of three potential determinants: barriers to access, attitude towards vaccinations in general, and towards COVID-19 vaccines. The study uses a cross-sectional online survey among migrants in Germany. The questionnaire assessed the aforementioned determinants using standardized tools. Information on 204 individuals was available. The vaccination rate in the sample was 80%. Vaccinated as compared to unvaccinated respondents reported more often the absence of financial barriers (71% (95%CI: 64-73%) vs. 45% (95%CI: 28-63%)), short waiting times (51% (95%CI: 43-59%) vs. 22% (95%CI: 5-38%)), and the presence of a vaccination center close-by (91.5% (95%CI: 87-96%) vs. 69.7% (95%CI: 54-85%)). Concerning COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, the majority of respondents (68%) agreed that the vaccine is important. Unvaccinated respondents more often feared side effects, were convinced that the vaccine is not safe, and assumed that COVID-19 is not dangerous. Correspondingly, acceptance of vaccinations in general was higher among vaccinated respondents. In line with findings from previous studies, our survey found that all three determinants seem to influence migrants' vaccination status while their overall vaccination rate was comparable to the general population. Hence, migration background per se does not sufficiently explain vaccine acceptance and further research is needed to identify subgroups of migrants that should be specifically addressed to increase their vaccination rate.

COVID-19 pandemic in shelters for asylum seekers: a scoping review of preventive measures.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate which measures are recommended by guidelines on prevention and management of infectious disease outbreaks in refugee shelters, how outbreaks have been dealt with in these facilities in the past and how measures taken compare with the recommendations identified in the literature. DESIGN, DATA SOURCES AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: The review comprised German and English language literature on refugees residing in shelters located in high-income countries, published between 1990 and 2021. We searched PubMed, CINAHL and Web of Science. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: We extracted information concerning the characteristics of the setting and the study population, measures for outbreak prevention and reported difficulties with implementing these measures. The findings were evaluated using descriptive statistics and were narratively summarised. RESULTS: Of a total of 1162 publications, 36 were included in the review, of which 19 were original research articles and 17 were guidelines/commentaries. In the guidelines, 37 different measures of infection control were mentioned. Among those, social distancing and isolation or quarantine were mentioned most frequently. In the outbreak reports, 27 different measures were reported, of which testing was reported most often. Different reasons why recommendations are difficult to implement in shelters were described, which are related to space, equipment, staff and financial constraints. Discrepancies between recommendations and actual practice mostly relate to the lack of preparation for outbreaks and the lack of appropriate measures to ensure intersectoral cooperation. CONCLUSIONS: Recommendations on infection control and outbreak management and the measures actually taken in refugee shelters differ considerably. Among others, this results from a lack of intersectoral cooperation between state ministries, municipal health offices and the administration of the facilities as well as from guidelines not sufficiently tailored to the characteristics of refugee shelters.

[COVID-19: Knowledge, risk perception and strategies for handling the pandemic]. / COVID-19: Wissensstand, Risikowahrnehmung und Umgang mit der Pandemie.

INTRODUCTION: In order to stem the spread of an epidemic, widespread adherence to safety measures and their acceptance within the German population are of key importance. This survey examines the levels of knowledge and the perception of risk within the population and analyses implementation and adherence to the recommended and legally mandated safety measures in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: In March 2020, participants registered on the HeReCa-Online-Panel from Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin and Schleswig Holstein were invited to complete a 65-question survey. RESULTS: 1048 respondents answered the questionnaire, which amounts to a response of 3.5%. 83% of respondents stated that they felt themselves to be well-informed or very well-informed concerning COVID-19 and the coronavirus. The majority of respondents reported fears for the well-being of family members (60%) or the health of the German population as a whole (45%); 79% reported concerns regarding adverse economic impacts. 79% of respondents have implemented individual protective measures, such as reducing social contacts and maintaining the recommended physical distance in public spaces. Most respondents regarded the government-mandated safety measures as predominantly reasonable and appropriate. CONCLUSIONS: In the early phase of the pandemic, most people kept themselves informed about of COVID-19 and started to take individual measures for risk reduction. Acceptance of governmental measures to stem the spread of the pandemic was high.