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Health Workers Show Low Uptake Of COVID Boosters And Flu Vaccines Amid Rising Vaccine Hesitancy

A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that fewer than one in six health workers received a COVID-19 booster during the 2023-2024 respiratory virus season, highlighting vaccine reluctance even among frontline medical staff. Only 15.3% of healthcare personnel in acute care hospitals and 10.5% in nursing homes reported getting the updated COVID-19 booster, a sharp contrast to the more than 80% of hospital staff and 45.4% of nursing home staff who received flu shots.

The findings come amid a climate of skepticism surrounding COVID-19 vaccines among healthcare workers, who have expressed doubts about the vaccine's efficacy, safety, and benefits. The low uptake has spurred concerns about the potential exposure risks for vulnerable patient populations. Despite the CDC's recommendation for flu vaccinations for healthcare workers, there is no such federal guideline for COVID-19 boosters, leaving decisions on COVID vaccination policies largely in the hands of individual institutions.

Vaccine reluctance is not confined to COVID-19 shots. In Florida, a recent survey by the University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions showed that only 11% of the state's long-term care facilities require flu vaccinations for their staff. Researchers found that many long-term care providers have hesitated to mandate vaccinations due to ongoing staffing challenges and resistance within the workforce.

Kriten Knapp, senior director of strategy and communications for the Florida Health Care Association, pointed out that recruiting and retaining staff is already difficult in the sector. "Given the ongoing recruitment challenges, it's difficult for providers to mandate vaccinations at the risk of potentially discouraging them from choosing long-term care as a career path," Knapp said, adding that Florida's diverse population, with varying cultural views on vaccines, also contributes to the hesitancy.

Florida's reluctance to mandate flu vaccines highlights a broader struggle within the healthcare industry, as facility operators worry that enforcing vaccine requirements might worsen existing staffing shortages. This concern has been echoed by leaders within the sector, who argue that educational campaigns could prove more effective in increasing vaccination rates without risking workforce attrition.

Jason Hand, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel for the Florida Senior Living Association, emphasized that while providers are cautious about enforcing vaccine mandates, they remain proactive in educating staff. Hand noted that most Florida facilities have "rules that require any staff member who has, or who is suspected of having, a communicable disease to be immediately removed from duties until a written statement is submitted from a healthcare provider indicating the individual does not constitute a risk of transmitting a communicable disease."

The low vaccination rates in Florida's long-term care facilities have fueled calls for more robust vaccination policies. Researchers argue that heightened flu and COVID-19 vaccination rates are critical for reducing the spread of infections in nursing homes and assisted living communities, where elderly and immunocompromised individuals are at high risk. However, leaders of senior living associations in Florida caution that blanket mandates may not work given the diverse demographic makeup of their workforce.

In the CDC's study, healthcare personnel who reported being well-informed about the COVID-19 vaccine were 10 times more likely to receive it and four times more likely to recommend it to patients, underscoring the impact of education on vaccination rates. The findings suggest that stronger informational campaigns, rather than mandates, may help mitigate vaccine reluctance among healthcare workers.

At the national level, experts highlight the risks posed by the declining immunity of healthcare workers as boosters wane and new virus variants emerge. Public health officials argue that maintaining current vaccinations among healthcare personnel is essential to protect not only the workers themselves but also the patients they serve. Yet, skepticism surrounding the shots remains particularly high in rural and southern states, where COVID-19 and flu vaccination rates tend to be lower than in urban areas.

The drop in vaccine uptake also coincides with the expiration of federal vaccine mandates for healthcare workers and the end of government-funded COVID-19 vaccines, which may have contributed to the overall reduction in vaccine administration across the healthcare sector.

In response, nursing homes and hospitals have ramped up efforts to educate staff about the benefits of vaccinations. Nick Van Der Linden, from LeadingAge Southeast, said, "Providers have extensive infection prevention protocols in place, as well as education campaigns about the benefits of being vaccinated." He emphasized that staff members ultimately have the choice to decide on vaccination, noting that facilities are committed to providing "accurate, up-to-date information, as well as any healthcare services they choose."

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