WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Despite recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to stay up to date with COVID-19 booster doses, the healthcare workers of the U.S. had low uptake of the vaccines, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study.
The findings, published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, revealed that flu vaccine coverage was 80.7 percent during the 2023-24 cold and flu season among about 8.8 million healthcare workers employed in over 4,000 acute care hospitals.
COVID vaccine coverage was 10.5 percent among workers in more than 14,000 nursing homes.
'Coverage with COVID-19 vaccination among healthcare personnel in nursing homes decreased from 22.8 percent during the 2022-23 respiratory virus season to 10.5 percent during the 2023-24 respiratory virus season,' the report stated.
'Like findings in previous studies, the current findings highlight the need to further investigate barriers to vaccination among health care personnel and identify additional strategies to address these challenges.'
COVID-19 vaccine coverage was highest in the Pacific region for employees of both acute care hospitals and nursing homes, whereas the same was lowest in Mountain and Southern states.
The authors noted that healthcare workers, who are well-informed about COVID-19 vaccine, are ten times more likely to get vaccinated and four times more likely to recommend the same to their patients.
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