A Single Wisconsin High School Students' Projected Uptake of COVID-19 Vaccines at the Onset of Its Emergency Use Authorization.

INTRODUCTION: This study assessed high-school students' anticipated COVID-19 vaccine uptake following the US Food and Drug Administration Emergency Use Authorization - before its availability to adolescents - and compared it to current national vaccination rates in similar age groups. METHODS: A web-based survey was conducted in January 2021. Data were analyzed using SurveyMonkey and SPSS. Predictors of vaccine willingness were explored. RESULTS: One hundred twenty of 407 students responded, with 70% indicating willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Current data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show a 72.2% uptake among the 12- to 17-year age group. Students with a general belief in vaccinations and those who self-identified as liberal were more willing to receive the vaccine. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS: High school students exhibited positive attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines, with acceptance influenced by general vaccine beliefs, political affiliation, and projected uptake rates aligned with national data.

Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Health-Care Career Interests Among High School Students.

PURPOSE: This study investigates the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on high school students' interest in health-care careers. METHODS: A voluntary web-based survey, approved by the Medical College of Wisconsin's Institutional Review Board, was administered across eight high schools in Milwaukee and its suburbs in Wisconsin. The survey collected students' demographic details, opinions on the health-care system's pandemic response, and their interest in health-care careers before and after the pandemic. RESULTS: Out of 2,949 respondents, 29.9% were already contemplating a health-care career before the pandemic, with 27.7% indicating increased interest thereafter. Students not previously interested in health-care careers registered an 11.5% increase in interest due to the pandemic. Notably, the pandemic significantly boosted health-care career interest among females and freshmen. DISCUSSION: The COVID-19 pandemic has distinctly influenced high school students' interest in health-care careers, notably among females and freshmen. This finding has implications for addressing projected health-care professional shortages.