COVID-19 and flu vaccinations among medical residents in a tertiary hospital in Italy: Correspondence

Abstract

Dear Editor, we would like to share ideas on the publication “Three-year COVID-19 and flu vaccinations among medical residents in a tertiary hospital in Italy: The threat of acceptance decline in seasonal campaigns. 1 The purpose of the study was to assess vaccination coverage for the COVID-19 second booster dosage and investigate predictors of its acceptance among medical residents (MRs) at the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” IRCCS University Hospital in Italy. The COVID-19 second booster dosage and influenza vaccines were delivered during the study, which lasted from October 4th to December 21st, 2022. The data was examined, and multivariate logistic regressions were run to investigate potential factors of vaccine adherence. The results were compared to the sample of residents enrolled in residency programs at the start of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign. The study comprised a total of 1968 MRs with an average age of 28.97 years. Only 18.80% of individuals received the COVID-19 second booster dose, indicating a lack of coverage. However, practically all individuals chose to receive the COVID-19 and influenza vaccines together, resulting in a similar proportion of influenza vaccination coverage (16.26%). Being a frontline resident, which entails direct involvement in the management of COVID-19 patients and vaccination campaigns, was recognized as the most important predictor of vaccination adherence. The study’s weakness is that it is limited in its generalizability because it only looked at MRs at a single hospital in Italy. The findings may not be applicable to different healthcare settings or demographics. Furthermore, the study did not investigate the reasons for low adherence to the COVID-19 second booster dosage or the reduction in influenza vaccination coverage in the 2022–2023 campaign. Understanding the underlying drivers and challenges to MR vaccine acceptability may provide useful insights for targeted interventions. Furthermore, the study did not investigate the effect of the Omicron variation on vaccination adherence or the efficacy of the COVID-19 second booster dosage in preventing infection or severe disease. These factors could have offered a more thorough examination of the immunization. The primary source of doubt is the erroneous belief that the COVID-19 immunization will virtually surely have an impact on the broader public. 2 The environment and the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak have an impact on resistance patterns. 3 Since the hesitant pattern evolves over time, the effect of promotion may change with time. If more research is necessary, it should concentrate on identifying and addressing the major causes of vaccination reluctance, such as false information, mistrust, and access problems, as well as developing and evaluating workable solutions to vaccine hesitancy in various contexts. A structural equation model and a thorough analysis of several factors are both helpful for comprehending the problem.