[ad_1]
It is well known that a significant number of Americans are reluctant or unwilling to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
But it was surprising that a significant number of healthcare workers were reducing it.
Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr Rachel Levine did not have numbers, but admitted this week some healthcare workers refused to sign up for the vaccine and noted work in nursing homes, where the COVID-19 toll has been particularly high.
A recent poll by the non-partisan Kaiser Family Foundation found that 29% of healthcare workers expressed refusal or reluctance to receive the vaccine – more than the proportion of the general public, 27%, who expressed this point. view. However, Kaiser found that the public’s willingness to get vaccinated increased, increasing by eight percentage points since September.
But the reluctance of healthcare workers came as a surprise to many, who surmised that people in the healthcare industry would understand that the vaccine, as virtually all experts agree, has been shown to be safe and effective, and therefore l ‘would adopt.
Adam Marles, CEO of LeadingAge PA, which represents nursing homes, did not have exact numbers, but said he heard between 50% and 75% of skilled nursing home employees subscribe to vaccines.
Still, some who turned down the first opportunity say they expect to get it later, according to Marles. He believes this to be reasonable, since the vaccine requires two doses several weeks apart. Therefore, staff can count on a second distribution within weeks, and more after that, as nursing homes will continuously vaccinate new residents.
Zach Shamberg, CEO of the Health Care Association of Pennsylvania, which also represents nursing homes, said he had heard of “very few examples of staff outright refusing the vaccine.” He also said he planned to wait for a later opportunity.
“I think there is just some nervousness, not understanding the side effects, feeling like guinea pigs, especially since it is still only an emergency use authorization” , said Marles.
He said the rate of nursing home residents accepting the vaccine is “much, much higher.”
Pennsylvania is in its third week of COVID-19 vaccine distribution, with approximately 160,000 doses administered on Tuesday. No major side effects have been reported, the most common being fever and chills a day or less, and pain in the arms, as is often the case with vaccinations.
Levine, discussing the refusal of some health workers, said: “These vaccines are safe and effective and it will be of critical importance for people to sign up or get vaccinated and get their second dose for. these vaccines, so that we can eventually stop the spread and get past COVID-19. “
RELATED: Pa. Reports one of her highest daily death totals from COVID-19 pandemic
Due to early limitations in vaccine supply, vaccine deployment in Pennsylvania has so far focused only on frontline healthcare workers in places such as hospitals and nursing homes and on residents of nursing homes.
Kelly McCall, spokesperson for UPMC Pinnacle, which operates six hospitals in the Harrisburg area, said 80% of eligible employees have accepted the vaccine. She said vaccination is not mandatory but “strongly recommended”. She said the UPMC global system, which has hospitals across Pennsylvania, has vaccinated about 30,000 employees, or about 40 percent of frontline staff, and is planning another 20,000 vaccinations.
At this point, it is difficult, if not impossible, for health care administrators to know exactly how many employees are refusing vaccines. This is because people sign up for a vaccination appointment rather than directly accepting or refusing a vaccine.
Dr Gerald Maloney, Chief Medical Officer of Geisinger, said that Geisinger employees “are making appointments as fast as we can make them available … We think our staff are doing the right thing very largely.”
He said Geisinger had vaccinated around 10,000 employees and had no problems using the available doses. Some employees, he said, have traveled up to an hour to get to a vaccination site, knowing they will also have to make a second trip. In addition, Geisinger and other health systems this week began offering vaccines to local independent health care providers, such as doctors, nurses and paramedics.
“Our phone literally rang,” and health care providers wanted to get the shot, Maloney said.
Still, there are news reports from across the country describing a high number of healthcare and frontline workers refusing the vaccine. For example, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said he was troubled that by the end of December about 60% of nursing home workers had refused to receive a vaccine, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
Maloney said that a survey of Geisinger employees carried out weeks ago found that about 17% said they “absolutely would not” be vaccinated.
“Does that surprise me?” Yes and no. As a healthcare worker you would think you have a full understanding of the benefits, ”he said.
But Maloney said he understands Geisinger’s 24,000 employees reflect a range of backgrounds, economics and politics. These factors, especially political affiliation, have a big impact on opinions about the vaccine. Beyond that, false information about the COVID-19 vaccine is rife, including the false belief, Maloney noted, that the COVID-19 vaccine is used to implant a chip under the skin.
“It’s very difficult to deal with someone who strongly believes in something like this. I hope it’s not our staff, but it’s over there in the community, ”he said. “There are a variety of groups that are promoting things that are not true, so we have to face it.”
At the same time, Maloney acknowledges that the COVID-19 vaccine was developed in record time with new technology, and with a shorter clinical trial period and fewer participants than normal. Although Maloney, like most experts, believes that the tests were sufficient and that the vaccine is safe and effective, he understands why someone might hesitate.
“I would never call anyone irresponsible for saying let me understand and make my decision,” he said.
This is why Geisinger, like many health care organizations, has so far allowed the COVID-19 vaccination to be voluntary. However, as more data becomes available, Geisinger and others will consider making the COVID-19 vaccination mandatory, as they do for the flu vaccination.
It is also significant that, unlike the flu vaccine, which prevents people from getting the flu and passing it on to others, COVID-19 has so far not been proven to prevent someone from transmit COVID-19. Therefore, health leaders lack the data to say that if someone, such as a nursing home worker, refuses the vaccine, they pose a greater threat to the people they care for than the people they care for. staff who have been vaccinated.
Maloney expects reluctant healthcare workers to see their colleagues getting vaccinated without negative consequences, they will find it safe and beneficial.
Maloney, who has been involved in vaccinating Geisinger employees, said she met one who asked about the brand and then said she did not trust the brand. However, they watched information online and she became convinced the vaccine was safe.
“Armed with this knowledge, she went ahead and took it wholeheartedly,” Maloney said.
Marles, of LeadingAge, believes that the different levels of acceptance in nursing homes is related to the cultures within the facilities and the way managers interact with employees. Shamberg, of the Pennsylvania Health Care Association, said nursing home executives are working hard to clear doubts and assure employees the vaccine is safe.
“It’s all about leadership in buildings,” he said. “This is the first step towards normality … We hope that the vast majority [of nursing home staff] will receive this vaccine. “
[ad_2]
Source link