ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption to healthcare delivery worldwide including in the delivery of surgical services. The introduction of mRNA COVID vaccines and the significant reactogenicity seen with vaccination has caused an unanticipated impact on the operating room workforce via unanticipated paid time off after employee vaccination. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional survey was made available to approximately 33,000 front-line healthcare workers, students and volunteers who were offered voluntary vaccination in a state-wide healthcare system during phase one of the state's vaccine roll-out. The primary study aim was to determine the frequency of unanticipated paid time off, and the secondary study aim was to identify any demographic determinants influencing the need for unanticipated time off work secondary to adverse effects. RESULTS: 4009 responses were received, a 12.15% response rate. When looking specifically at individuals who did not proactively schedule themselves for time off after vaccination, we determined that unanticipated paid administrative leave was required for 4.9% and 19.79% of individuals after the first and second doses of vaccine, respectively. The average lengths of absence were 1.66 days and 1.39 days for the first and second doses, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences found in the need for unanticipated leave when compared by vaccine manufacturer, gender, age, ethnicity, or job description. However, individuals with a bachelor's degree demonstrated a significantly higher unanticipated leave requirement than respondents who reported other educational backgrounds. CONCLUSIONS: The ability to staff operating rooms and other critical healthcare services may be negatively affected as a result of COVID-19 mRNA vaccination reactogenicity and subsequent unanticipated paid administrative leave. For future COVID-19 boosters or during other pandemics in which mRNA vaccination is recommended, employees should proactively schedule their vaccination(s) in conjunction with their work schedules to minimize the impact of reactogenicity and unanticipated time off on the operating room schedule and patient care.
ABSTRACT
Introduction It has been anecdotally observed that ABO blood type may have an impact on the severity of the side-effects experienced by those receiving mRNA vaccination for COVID-19. Methods As part of a larger study, a retrospective cross-sectional survey was made available to approximately 33,000 front-line healthcare workers, students and volunteers who were offered voluntary vaccination in a state-wide healthcare system during phase one of the state's vaccine roll-out. A secondary endpoint of the survey was to determine if there was any relationship between vaccination reactogenicity and ABO blood type. Results 4009 responses were received - a 12.15% response rate. 3700 respondents answered the blood type question, and of those, 2878 knew their blood type. By Kruskal-Wallis test, there was no statistically significant association between any blood type and any side effect for either of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Conclusions COVID-19 mRNA vaccination may cause significant reactogenicity. However, ABO blood type does not appear to be a predictor of vaccine reactogenicity.
