Healthcare worker perspectives on COVID-19 vaccines: Implications for increasing vaccine acceptance among healthcare workers and patients.

OBJECTIVE: To understand COVID-19 vaccine perspectives among healthcare workers serving diverse communities. METHODS: A dual English/Spanish survey was distributed to healthcare workers in the United States from 3/12/2021-4/22/2021 by the Migrant Clinicians Network, Society of Refugee Healthcare Providers, a Federally Qualified Healthcare Center, and social media advertisement to general primary care workers. RESULTS: 517 responses were at least 50% complete and included in the analysis. Among these, 88% (457/517) indicated vaccine acceptance. Factors associated with acceptance included not reporting any vaccine concerns, identifying as male, ≥65 years of age, being a physician or advanced practice provider, and interacting directly with patients from refugee, immigrant, and migrant (RIM) communities. Participants identified educational information as most helpful for themselves when making a vaccine decision, but a healthcare provider's recommendation as most helpful for their patients. CONCLUSION: Healthcare workers, especially those serving RIM communities, are vaccine accepting. Tailoring vaccine-related information to healthcare workers may improve vaccine confidence for both themselves and patients who rely on them for information.

Ensuring COVID-19 Vaccines for Migrant and Immigrant Farmworkers.

Migrant and immigrant farmworkers are cornerstones to food security and production in many nations. In the United States, farmworkers have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Because they are considered essential workers, vaccines may be made imminently available to them and offer an opportunity to reduce these COVID-19-related impacts. It is essential for a successful vaccination campaign to address the unique challenges arising from this workforce's inherently mobile nature and limited access to healthcare. Proposed strategies to overcome these challenges include ensuring farmworkers are prioritized in vaccine allocation and provided cost-free vaccines at convenient locations through partnerships among health authorities, community- and faith-based groups, and health centers with trusted community relationships. Further, a portable immunization record should be used, and coordination of care continued when a farmworker moves to a new geographic location. If implemented well, vaccinating farmworkers can reduce the COVID-19 disease burden among these essential workers, improve public health, and protect food and agriculture production.

COVID-19 Awareness and Preparedness of Minnesota and Wisconsin Dairy Farms.

Dairy farms that had participated in previous and ongoing projects with the National Farm Medicine Center (NFMC), Migrant Clinicians Network (MCN), and Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (UMASH) were asked to participate in a 17-question survey by phone or email to investigate biosecurity principles on Minnesota and Wisconsin dairy farms in response to COVID-19 and the effects of the pandemic on the dairy industry. Three additional farms were recruited via a press release published in agricultural newsletters. Of 76 farms contacted, 37 chose to participate in this study from June to July 2020. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, dairies have implemented or increased biosecurity measures and COVID-19 precautions. Dairies reported adequate personal protective equipment for their workers, though face masks were not required on most dairies (n = 32, 86%). Producers were concerned about the safety of their families, maintaining a healthy workforce, and keeping their farms profitable. Access to healthcare was not perceived to be an issue for their workers. One-quarter of dairies reported COVID-19 infections on their farms. Even though the majority had an isolation protocol in place if someone on the farm were to become ill, less than half of respondents felt their farm was protected against COVID-19. Two-thirds of producers have not had to decrease production, and a majority of operations have not furloughed or terminated employees due to COVID-19. Our data suggest that dairy farms in Minnesota and Wisconsin have implemented biosecurity and safety measures in response to COVID-19. These measures can be improved. Farms would benefit from additional guidance and education on implementation of personal protective measures and disease prevention strategies to keep workers employed and safe.

Partnerships as an Avenue to Translate Emerging Disease Ecology of SARS-CoV-2 to Agricultural Groups.

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and associated coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has brought farmers and farmworkers the designation of "essential", while placing them into heightened vulnerability for the disease. Many factors diminish access to education and prevention technologies emerging to combat COVID-19. For farmers, advanced age and rural location play a part. Farmworkers encounter numerous additional barriers including language and cultural differences, socioeconomic pressures, and immigration status. The unusual persistence and multiple transmission pathways of SARS-CoV-2 emerging from ongoing scientific study require customization of otherwise standard prevention messaging to farmers and farmworkers to prevent infection and disease exacerbation. AgriSafe Network and Migrant Clinicians Network, both national organizations and major stakeholders in agricultural health, are on the front lines of translating science into practical prevention strategies for those providing health services to farmworkers and farmers. The partnerships pursued provide a blueprint for quickly translating emerging disease ecology to support the health of agricultural populations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 Impact on Childcare in Agricultural Populations.

The corona virus pandemic pulled back the curtain on rural America's already fragile childcare system and shed light on the critical role that quality, affordable, accessible childcare plays in the lives of workers and families, as well as in the success of agricultural businesses. This commentary aims to describe how existing childcare problems were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, potentially impacting both the health and economics of farm households and farmworker families. For solutions to be successful, efforts will need to be collaborative, with federal interventions spurred on by childcare stakeholders. Successful collaborations will result in a better childcare system that nurtures children while their parents contribute to our nation's production of agricultural products.