Longitudinal Assessment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine Acceptance and Uptake Among Frontline Medical Workers in Los Angeles, California

• Published in: Clinical infectious diseases Vol. 74; no. 7; pp. 1166 - 1173
• Main Authors: Halbrook, Megan, Gadoth, Adva, Martin-Blais, Rachel, Gray, Ashley N, Kashani, Saman, Kazan, Clayton, Kane, Brian, Tobin, Nicole H, Ferbas, Kathie G, Aldrovandi, Grace M, Rimoin, Anne W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: US Oxford University Press 09.04.2022
• Subjects: COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 Vaccines; Cross-Sectional Studies; Health Personnel; Humans; Los Angeles - epidemiology; Vaccination; Vaccines; Los Angeles; COVID-19; vaccine hesitancy; vaccines; healthcare workers; first responders
• ISSN: 1058-4838; 1537-6591
• DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab614

Abstract Background Sentiments of vaccine hesitancy and distrust in public health institutions have complicated the government-led coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine control strategy in the United States. As the first to receive the vaccine, COVID-19 vaccine attitudes among frontline workers are consequential for COVID-19 control and public opinion of the vaccine. Methods In this study, we used a repeated cross-sectional survey administered at 3 time points between 24 September 2020 and 6 February 2021 to a cohort of employees of the University of California, Los Angeles Health and the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The primary outcome of interest was COVID-19 vaccination intent and vaccine uptake. Results Confidence in COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine uptake rose significantly over time. At survey 1, confidence in vaccine protection was 46.4% among healthcare workers (HCWs) and 34.6% among first responders (FRs); by survey 3, this had risen to 90.0% and 75.7%, respectively. At survey 1, about one-third of participants intended to receive a vaccine as soon as possible. By survey 3, 96.0% of HCWs and 87.5% of FRs had received a COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusions Attitudes toward vaccine uptake increased over the study period, likely a result of increased public confidence in COVID-19 vaccines, targeted communications, a COVID-19 winter surge in Los Angeles County, and ease of access from employer-sponsored vaccine distribution. Trust in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines increased markedly over the fall of 2020, primarily owing to increased vaccine communications, and reduced barriers to vaccination through employer-sponsored vaccine distribution. Despite this, certain groups still maintain hesitancies toward COVID-19 vaccines.