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Background: "Covishield" and "Covaxin" were the two vaccines which were approved for emergency use in India. As there is uncertainty regarding these vaccines, this study aimed to estimate the proportion of acceptance of vaccination against COVID-19 in West Bengal;to identify the possible barriers of vaccine acceptance prevalent among the study population and;to find out the association of acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination with the socio-demographic and other predictor variables. Methods: Oobservational study with cross sectional design was conductedon 294 participants in Muchisa, Budge Budge II and Ward No. 81 of Borough 10, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) selected by Stratified Random Sampling in 2021 using a predesigned, pretested and structured schedule. The statistical analysis was done using Microsoft Office Excel 2007 and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Version 16.0. The data were explored using Pearson's chi-square test and logistic regression. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. Results: The potential acceptance of Covid-19 vaccination was 59.5% with higher adoption in urban population. The most potential barrier in acceptance of vaccine was "fear of side effects". Higher level of education and history of Covid-19 in the locality were associated with higher acceptance of the vaccination in both the urban and rural areas. Conclusion: A study emphasized on the need for mass campaigns and other behavior change communication activities for addressing the myths surrounding the disease and the newer vaccines and hence improving the currently low vaccine acceptance.
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This qualitative study analyzed pedagogical effects of multilayer mitigation in a Thai classroom. The triangulated data set were confidential, comprising teachers' voluntary anonymous information, pedagogical views and opinions, respectively. First, pupils' low absence rates enabled pedagogical focus on learning losses, which were mainly skills. The second effect was related to assessment. None of the teachers mentioned test results as learning loss indicators but regarded learning and qualified assessment as dynamic processes. An interesting dilemma was the learning loss measurements by non-pedagogical experts. Mostly those were presented as test scores, working hour counts, or annual formalities. However, optimized learning strategies' research had existed for decades, being responded better by these pupils. The third effect was the improved resilience of pupils and caretakers. Initially worried parents turned relieved. Resilience fostered the intrinsic motivation of all. When compared to some countries, firmer resilience made the difference in learning loss endurance for this group. "All-inclusive" mitigation had given families meaningful support. They shared visions of community roles, mediated by teachers and school management. The latter were backed by epidemiologists and medical experts. Further studies should discuss schools in a longer timeframe. External, quantified test scores without in-depth pedagogical analyses seem outdated by the early fourth pandemic year.
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The article presents data on the epidemic process of varicella (chickenpox) in Moscow and the Sverdlovsk region against the background of many years of use of varicella vaccines in the implementation of regional programs for children's immunization against varicella. An estimate of the volume of varicella vaccination in these regions is given. Aim. Evaluation of the effectiveness of varicella vaccination within the framework of regional vaccination schedules in Moscow and the Sverdlovsk region for the scientific substantiation of recommendations for expanding the National Immunization Schedule of the Russian Federation. Material and methods. To assess the epidemic situation in terms of the incidence of varicella in 2006-2021, data from forms No. 2 of the Federal State Statistical Observation "Information on infectious and parasitic diseases" and forms No. 23-17 "Information on outbreaks of infectious diseases" in Moscow in 2017-2021 were used. To assess the volume of vaccination against chickenpox, we took into account the data of form No. 5 of the Federal State Statistical Observation "Information on preventive vaccinations" in the Russian Federation and certain territories in 2013-2021. We have carried out a retrospective epidemiological analysis of the distribution of the incidence of chickenpox in general on the territory of the Russian Federation, Moscow and the Sverdlovsk region. Results and discussion. In the regions of the Russia where the planned varicella vaccination of children is carried out with low coverage and the use of a single-dose immunization scheme, after the success of regional programs in the first years of their implementation, the "growing up" of infection, an increase in the incidence of varicella of children of the first year of life, and an increase in the probability of congenital forms were revealed. Against the background of a decrease in the incidence of varicella in 2020-2021, as a result of restrictive measures in organized groups, as part of the response to the COVID-19 epidemic, susceptible individuals accumulate, which allows predicting another epidemic increase in incidence. Conclusion. Based on regional experience, it is recommended to introduce 2 doses of varicella vaccination into the National Vaccination Schedule with at least 90% coverage.Copyright © Eco-Vector, 2022.
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Gavi supports countries to introduce typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) with catch-up campaigns. Available TCVs are highly efficacious, equity-focused, and critical to curbing the expansion of antimicrobial resistance. Four Gavi-supported countries have introduced TCVs since 2018. In the wake of the COVID-19 emergency, momentum is building to scale up TCV introduction worldwide, supported by global partners and Gavi's funding for improved typhoid diagnostics.
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Background Low vaccination uptake is a major public health concern and is more prevalent in rural areas. Educational interventions have been proposed as an effective strategy to increase vaccine acceptance. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of an educational program on acquiring knowledge for promoting vaccination uptake among a sample of participants. Methodology This study was conducted in a rural area in the state of Jharkhand, India. The study period was from July 2022 to September 2022. The area was surveyed for COVID-19 vaccination and a total of 510 people did not take any dose or took only the first dose and then skipped the second dose. An educational program was designed in the local language. The knowledge of the sample was assessed before and after a week of intervention with a surveyor-administered questionnaire. The vaccination status before and after the intervention was also recorded. We used the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and binomial test for comparing the categorical variables. Results A total of 178 participants' data were analyzed. The majority of the participants were in the age group of 18-25 years. The pre-intervention score regarding the knowledge of COVID-19 and vaccination was 18.93 ± 5.10 which significantly increased after the intervention to 25.06 ± 4.35 (p <0.0001). The number of individuals receiving vaccination significantly increased. Before the program, 95 participants did not take the vaccine and 83 received the first dose and did not take the second dose. After the program, 17 participants did not take the vaccine, 161 completed the first dose, and 112 completed the second dose (p <0.0001). Conclusions The educational program was successful in improving knowledge and awareness about vaccination, leading to an increase in the number of individuals receiving vaccination. These findings suggest the importance of educational interventions in the local language in promoting vaccination uptake and can be used to design effective public health campaigns to increase vaccine acceptance.
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BACKGROUND: COVID-19 vaccine is the mighty weapon opted by all the countries across the globe in an attempt to eradicate the fatal COVID-19 pandemic. The myths of the COVID-19 vaccine are spreading widely, causing a hindrance to this noble preventive measure. The prevalence of such myths among healthcare professionals may be toxic and deadly.AIM AND OBJECTIVES: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of the healthcare professionals regarding the myths on COVID-19 vaccination and to demystify them.MATERIALS AND METHODS: An 18-item questionnaire evaluating knowledge, attitude, and practice based on the existing myths on COVID-19 vaccination was circulated through Google Forms (R) among 412 healthcare professionals of six disciplines belonging to a private university. The responses obtained were subjected to statistical analysis using the SPSS (R) 20 software package.RESULTS: A total of 385 health professionals participated in this study. The majority of them reported medium knowledge (165) and positive attitude (273) with the mean knowledge and attitude scores of 3.82 +/- 1.55 out of 6 and 4.3 +/- 1.58 out of 7, respectively. Even though 312 participants got vaccinated, 73 of them fai led to receive it. The knowledge scores showed a high statistically significant difference among the participants of different designations (p=0.001), but not with ge nder, field, and staff with different years of experience (p>0.05). The attitude scores were statistically different among participants of fields and designation (p<0.05) but not among genders (p=0.31) and staff with different years of experience (p=0.87). Knowledge and attitude scores showed a positive linear correlation and a high statistically significant difference (p<0.001).CONCLUSION: This study recommends more enhanced education programs on COVID-19 vaccination for health professionals and demands an improved knowledge, attitude, and practice among health professionals to achieve the goal of 100% vaccination so as to eradicate the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Bangladesh is located in Southeast Asia that has a high population density. It is a lower-middle-income country. The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the nation that slowed its economic growth. It halted major industries, crippling the nation's economy. The students were uncertain after the declaration of school closures. Hospitals could not treat other patients properly due to the vast health burden of COVID-19. Bangladesh put up a solid fight during COVID-19 as a lower-middle-income country. Prompt action, early vaccination drives, effective awareness campaigns, and widespread public involvement have enabled Bangladesh to bring more than 90% of its population into COVID-19 vaccination coverage. It was possible by the effective diplomatic and local health strategy implemented by the Bangladeshi government, the country's extensive prior experience, and its long history of achieving a high success rate in other vaccination campaigns. Bangladesh was able to flatten the curve sooner than other developed countries. Therefore, the cogs of everyday social life and the economy begin to turn once more. The strategy Bangladesh used to combat the COVID-19 pandemic through vaccination and diplomatic policy by calling on its prior experience has the potential to serve as a model for other low- and middle-income countries and an example for developed nations.
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After about a year and a half (at the moment these lines are being written) since the start of the massive vaccination campaign in which, thanks to the high coverage achieved in all groups eligible for vaccination, it has been possible to significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19, it is important to review the scientific basics that have supported the recommendations implemented to date and those that could be adopted in the near future taking into consideration the epidemiological situation. The objective of this article is, therefore, to address the foundations of some of the technical decisions proposed by the Committee on Programme and Registry of Vaccinations (National Immunization Technical Advisory Group in Spain) and the Technical Working Group on Vaccination against COVID-19. Throughout the eleven updates of the Vaccination Strategy against COVID-19 in Spain, several issues pose intense debate as the vaccination intervals between doses, the convenience of using different types of vaccines, the use of heterologous schemes of vaccination, the benefits of hybrid immunity and the use of a fourth dose (second booster dose) for selected populations. All this without forgetting essential aspects of safety of vaccines. This article is divided into the following sections: Vaccination intervals;Heterologous or mixed scheme;Hybrid immunity (vaccination after infection and infection after vaccination [breakthrough]);Second booster dose.
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The article praises the World Health Organization (WHO) for its works and achievements in global health care. It cites the agenda of the organization when it was established by the United Nations in 1948, including health and development, health and security, and information and knowledge. It cites the global brief released by WHO aimed to safeguard the health of refugees and immigrants. It mentions some of its achievements in modern health care such as smallpox vaccination programs in 1979.
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This article discusses the worldwide routine vaccination coverage in 2021, as part of the Immunisation Agenda 2030, a global immunisation strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases. The report presents global, regional, and national estimates and trends in vaccination coverage through 2021, based on reviews of country-specific data, including administrative and survey-based coverage. Global estimates show that coverage with 3 doses of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis-containing vaccine (DTPcv3) and the first dose of measles-containing vaccine (MCV1) decreased to their lowest levels since 2008. In 2021, 25.0 million infants were not vaccinated with DTPcv3, 2.1 million more than in 2020, and 5.9 million more than in 2019. The number of zero-dose children was 37% higher than in 2019, with 18.2 million infants not receiving any DTPcv dose by the age of 12 months. The report highlights that the full recovery from disruptions to immunisation programmes due to the COVID-19 pandemic will require context-specific strategies to find missed children, prioritise essential health services, and strengthen immunisation programmes to prevent outbreaks.
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The present COVID attack has significantly accentuated vulnerability of infections at community level where their basic healthcare and immunization program are being implemented by the ICDS scheme launched in 1975 through a slew of AWCs scattered all over the country. The AWC acts as a primary health center that provides supplementary nutrition to children (between 0 and 6 years of age) and pregnant and lactating mothers besides providing preschool education to children in the age group of 4–6 years. The ASHA workers associated with AWC under then NRHM are the first hand health workers available to them at the community level who act as a bridge between the dispensaries and the community members. With the outbreak of COVID-19, the role of ASHA workers has assumed increased salience as the governments are relying on them for community level combating of this outbreak. This paper takes a close look at fund allocations to the public healthcare sector among the developing and developed countries and also the interstate allocations and allocations for major schemes and the resultant impact on HDI. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in rural and remote Australia have lower vaccine coverage rates and experience higher rates of notification and hospitalisations for vaccine preventable diseases than non-Aboriginal people. This paper explores important public health and research activities being undertaken in the Northern Territory to reduce this disparity in vaccine program performance, with a particular focus on rotavirus, meningococcal, human papilloma virus and COVID-19 vaccines.
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In recent years, the majority of the world's population has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but owing to the invention of vaccinations, the epidemic has been brought under control. Most people are hesitant to share their experiences on official platforms after being vaccinated. As a result, information about vaccine-related adverse effects other than clinical trial results is challenging to identify. However, most people have shared their opinions about vaccines on social media since the COVID-19 immunization program began worldwide. This study aims to assess, using social media, the adverse effects of the COVID-19 vaccination as perceived by the general population. The authors of the previous studies did not categorize tweets on the COVID-19 vaccine adverse effects as personal experience, informative, or advice-seeking. The authors of this study aim to classify tweets in the manner described above to fill a research gap and increase public awareness of the COVID-19 vaccine's side effects. The Kaggle repository collected tweets pertaining to COVID-19 vaccinations for this investigation. The authors manually classified collected tweets into two categories: those connected to COVID-19 vaccinations' adverse effects and those unrelated to COVID-19 vaccines' adverse effects. Then, valid tweets were further classified into three categories: personal experience, informative, and seeking advice. The authors then used the data to train four ML models. There are also SVM, Logistic Regression, LSTM, and ANN. The LSTM algorithm generated the most outstanding results, with an accuracy of 97.64&. In addition, the researchers conclude that the SVM may not be suitable for planned research since it gave the lowest degree of accuracy, 80%. © 2022 IEEE.
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In response to the epidemic, a COVID-19 vaccine was developed at an unprecedented speed, and vaccination was carried out on an' unprecedented scale. The COVID-19 vaccination project consists of three fields: science, logistics/practice, and policy, and is the culmination of various attempts among these fields. First, in the field of science, vaccine development, examination/approval, and evaluation of adverse reactions, etc. are carried out. It was necessary to evaluate and verify safety as well as efficacy. Second, in the field of logistics/administration, it is extremely important to secure, supply, and distribute the vaccine, and to build a vaccine administration and execution system. Since the lead time is very long, it was necessary to proceed with preparations while adopting a future outlook. Third, policy decisions were made regarding the construction of a legal framework and the start of vaccinations. In addition, it was very important to appropriately conduct publicity and risk communication, as it is the general public who make the decision to receive the vaccination, in the end. In this article, I will explain the overall picture of the COVID-19 vaccination project, which consists of these fields, while mentioning various specific attempts to implement the project throughout Japan.
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Background: The misconceptions and conspiracy theories against the Covid-19 vaccines have been identified as potential factors that could negatively impact herd immunity for the Covid-19 vaccination. Focus of the article: From the perspectives of the Health Belief Model and the Theory of Planned Behavior, the study sought to determine an effective social marketing intervention to address the misconceptions about the Covid-19 vaccines. Research Hypotheses: The hypotheses stipulate that perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefit, and perceived barriers of the coronavirus will positively influence Covid-19 vaccination behavior. The study further hypothesized that subjective norms (important others) would significantly mediate the relationships. Methods: Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 821 individuals from three administrative regions, which constitutes 65% of the population of Ghana. The quota and convenience sampling technique was used in selecting the respondents due to the lack of a sampling frame. Results: The study's findings show that only perceived susceptibility and the perceived barrier directly influence the Covid-19 vaccination behavior. The result, however, shows a significant improvement when important others were introduced as a mediating variable. Thus, all four constructs had a positive and significant influence on Covid-19 vaccination behavior through subjective norm (important others) as an intervening variable. The study shows the value of using opinion leaders as a communication channel in addressing the misperceptions and conspiracy theories against the Covid-19 vaccines. Recommendation for Research/Practice: To effectively address the misconceptions about the Covid-19 vaccines and improve herd immunity, social marketers should identify key influencers in various communities and cities and use them in promoting the vaccination program. The study examined and found subjective norms (perceived social pressure from important others in society on an individual to perform or not to perform a behavior) as a significant mediator for promoting the Covid-19 vaccination behavior. Limitations: The current study examined the mediating role of subjective norm and the HBMs' constructs. Future studies could also consider integrating subjective norm as a mediator in other behavioral change theories to predict the target audience's behavior.
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This article discussed the evolution of the InfluNet surveillance system in Italy, which was originally developed in 1999-2000 for monitoring flu-like syndromes and the circulation of influenza viruses. After the 2009-2010 subtype A/H1N1pdm09 influenza pandemic, InfluNet became an integrated surveillance system, including epidemiological and virological surveillance, as well as other sources of data to monitor the impact of influenza. The system proved to be a useful tool for assessing vaccine efficacy and preventing serious and severe forms of flu, especially in frail subjects. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic introduced further innovations in InfluNet surveillance, and starting from the 2020-2021 season, InfluNet became a respiratory virus surveillance system. The article also described the trends of the 2021-2022 influenza season, with a low incidence of ILI and limited circulation of influenza viruses compared to seasons prior to 2020, as well as the impact of RSV. The article emphasized the importance of vaccination programs and the need for integrated surveillance systems to prevent the spread of respiratory diseases and deal with future pandemics.
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Background: India launched COVID-19 mass Vaccination campaign after regulatory approval of Covishield & Covaxin vaccines. However, inspite of Vaccination, cases of COVID-19 infection are being reported. Hence, this study is aimed to assess the COVID-19 infection and/or re-infection rate, including breakthrough infections, following vaccination among Health Care Workers at a Tertiary Care Dedicated COVID Hospital. This questionnaire-based survey was initiated following Institutional Ethics Committee approval. We also looked at reasons for Vaccine hesitancy and occurrence of adverse reactions following vaccination, their management and duration amongst the Healthcare Workers. Results: Of 564 Healthcare Workers (HCWs) who consented to participate, only 503 filled in the questionnaire completely. Majority of the HCWs received Covishield vaccine (78.56%). The infection rate postvaccination was 8.28% (with a median of 22 days and IQR of 8-43 days). This infection rate was significantly higher in those who were not vaccinated as compared to the Vaccinated HCWs (OR = 0.10, 95 CI% = 0.05-0.22, p <0.0001). Breakthrough infection rate was 2.42. Although 58.39% of the participants suffered adverse reactions after vaccination, like myalgia, Fever, Headache, these were mild in nature lasting for an average of 3-4 days. The vaccine hesitancy rate at our hospital HCWs was 6.36%, the main issue being the concerns regarding safety and effectiveness of the vaccines against the COVID-19 infection. Discussion/Conclusion: The infection and Breakthrough infection rates in our study were low and severity of COVID infection post vaccination was mild, not requiring hospitalisation.
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In the Italian vaccination schedule, at least six vaccination appointments are scheduled in the first year of life. This implies more discomfort for both the patient and the parents. This was particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which several appointments were missed. A UK experience with three injectable vaccines and an oral one co-administered at the same appointment (4-in-1) at 2 and 4 months of age showed interesting results. The vaccination coverage was high, consistent with previous practice, and no relevant increase in adverse events was reported. Translating the UK experience into the Italian context would not be immediate, due to several organizational and social issues. Nevertheless, this option warrants some further considerations, which are discussed in this manuscript.
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COVID-19 , Pandemics , Humans , Infant , COVID-19/prevention & control , Vaccination , Immunization , Immunization Schedule , Immunization Programs , ItalyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: HPV vaccine coverage in France remained lower than in most other high-income countries. Within the diagnostic phase of the national PrevHPV program, we carried out a mixed methods study among school staff to assess their knowledge, beliefs and attitudes regarding HPV, HPV vaccine and vaccination in general, and regarding schools' role in promoting HPV vaccination. METHODS: Middle school nurses, teachers and support staff from four French regions participated between January 2020 and May 2021. We combined: (i) quantitative data from self-administered online questionnaires (n = 301), analysed using descriptive statistics; and (ii) qualitative data from three focus groups (n = 14), thematically analysed. RESULTS: Less than half of respondents knew that HPV can cause genital warts or oral cancers and only 18% that no antiviral treatment exists. Almost 90% of the respondents knew the existence of the HPV vaccine but some misunderstood why it is recommended before the first sexual relationships and for boys; 56% doubted about its safety, especially because they think there is not enough information on this topic. Schools nurses had greater knowledge than other professionals and claimed that educating pupils about HPV was fully part of their job roles; however, they rarely address this topic due to a lack of knowledge/tools. Professionals (school nurses, teachers and support staff) who participated in the focus groups were unfavourable to offering vaccination at school because of parents' negative reactions, lack of resources, and perceived uselessness. CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight the need to improve school staff knowledge on HPV. Parents should be involved in intervention promoting HPV vaccination to prevent their potential negative reactions, as feared by school staff. Several barriers should also be addressed before organizing school vaccination programs in France.
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Papillomavirus Infections , Papillomavirus Vaccines , Male , Humans , Papillomavirus Infections/prevention & control , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Vaccination , Surveys and Questionnaires , Patient Acceptance of Health Care , ParentsABSTRACT
The article presents the discussion on participation in mass COVID-19 vaccination clinics offering opportunities for families to gather.