scholarly journals High likelihood of accepting COVID-19 vaccine in a Latinx community at high SARS-CoV2 risk in San Francisco

Author(s):  
James Peng ◽  
Carina Marquez ◽  
Luis Rubio ◽  
Gabriel Chamie ◽  
Diane Jones ◽  
...  

Abstract Of 4,133 persons surveyed at a low-barrier COVID-19 test site with high positivity in an urban Latinx community in January 2021, 86% indicated they would accept a COVID-19 vaccination. Top reasons for vaccine hesitancy included concerns around side effects and safety and distrust of healthcare systems.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie Naso ◽  
Susy Rojas ◽  
James Peng ◽  
Carina Marquez ◽  
Maria Contreras ◽  
...  

Purpose. To understand vaccine attitudes of Latinx parents highly impacted by COVID-19. Methods. In April 2021, we surveyed parents about their attitudes for COVID-19 vaccination of their children at a community-based outdoor testing/vaccination site serving predominantly low-income, Latinx persons in San Francisco. Results. Among 1,033 parents (75% Latinx), 92% would 'definitely' or 'probably' vaccinate their children. Vaccine hesitancy was higher for younger children; concerns included side effects and impacts on fertility. Doctors and community organizations were noted as trusted sources of information, including among vaccine-hesitant parents. Conclusion. Latinx parents accessing neighborhood-based COVID-19 testing/vaccination services are highly motivated to vaccinate their children for COVID-19.


2021 ◽  
pp. 43-45
Author(s):  
Reena J. Wani ◽  
Sanjay Panchal ◽  
Kinjal Chauhan ◽  
Varun J. Wani ◽  
Priya H. Manihar ◽  
...  

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Lockdown on March 2020 till date, measures like hand hygiene, social distancing and testing have worked only partially to contain the cases and deaths. Cooper and Nair Hospitals were amongst the nodal centres identied in January 2021 to launch the Nationwide Vaccination drive in Mumbai. Aim: To highlight the pattern of vaccination roll-out, procedures in various phases and discuss concerns, challenges and effect on our workforce and workplan. Methodology: We reviewed the patterns, uptake of vaccine, procedures and problems faced by our vaccination centres from January 15 till April 30 (4 months). We also looked into adverse events following immunization (AEFI) reported. th th Results: Over 68,000 vaccine doses have been administrated in Cooper alone by April end, and issues were analysed in detail with special reference to logistics & challenges. AEFI were very few. We found that initially anxiety about side effects, concerns about choice of vaccine and long-term effects were the major impediments to vaccination. Later on, the demand exceeded the supply. Conclusion: Although vaccination is not the nal answer, it is an important tool to improve our response to the pandemic. Reviewing, restructuring available resources is essential in pandemic situations. Proper planning, counselling and choice in the way forward in this crisis.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Duraivel ◽  
Lavanya R

Abstract This research paper explores the underlying factors that contribute toward vaccine hesitancy, resistance, and refusal. Using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), an unsupervised generative-probabilistic model, we generated latent topics from user generated Reddit corpora on reasons for Vaccine hesitancy. Although we hoped to explore the grounds for vaccine hesitancy across the globe, our findings suggest that the corpus used for analysis had been generated by users living predominantly in the United States.Observation of the topics generated by the LDA model led to the discovery of the following latent factors: (i) fear of risks and side effects, (ii) lack of trust in policymakers, (iii) related to religious belief, (iv) related to mass surveillance theories, (v) perception of vaccination as a precedence to totalitarianism, (vi) racial background pertaining to retrospective events of racial injustice, such as selective sterilization, (vii) depopulation agenda fueled by theories affiliated to Global warming and extinction rebellion, (viii) and perception of vaccination as a campaign to quell immigrant population growth, fueled by reports of coerced sterilization of immigrants in the ICE detention.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelton Kanyanda ◽  
Yannick Markhof ◽  
Philip Wollburg ◽  
Alberto Zezza

Introduction Recent debates surrounding the lagging covid-19 vaccination campaigns in low-income countries center around vaccine supply and financing. Yet, relatively little is known about attitudes towards covid-19 vaccines in these countries and in Africa in particular. In this paper, we provide cross-country comparable estimates of the willingness to accept a covid-19 vaccine in six Sub-Saharan African countries. Methods We use data from six national high-frequency phone surveys from countries representing 38% of the Sub-Saharan African population (Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, and Uganda). Samples are drawn from large, nationally representative sampling frames providing a rich set of demographic and socio-economic characteristics by which we disaggregate our analysis. Using a set of re-calibrated survey weights, our analysis adjusts for the selection biases common in remote surveys. Results Acceptance rates in the six Sub-Saharan African countries studied are generally high, with at least four in five people willing to be vaccinated in all but one country. Vaccine acceptance ranges from nearly universal in Ethiopia (97.9%, 97.2% to 98.6%) to below what would likely be required for herd immunity in Mali (64.5%, 61.3% to 67.8%). We find little evidence for systematic differences in vaccine hesitancy by sex or age but some clusters of hesitancy in urban areas, among the better educated, and in richer households. Safety concerns about the vaccine in general and its side effects emerge as the primary reservations toward a covid-19 vaccine across countries. Conclusions Our findings suggest that limited supply, not inadequate demand, likely presents the key bottleneck to reaching high covid-19 vaccine coverage in Sub-Saharan Africa. To turn intent into effective demand, targeted communication campaigns bolstering confidence in the safety of approved vaccines and reducing concerns about side effects will be crucial to safeguard the swift progression of vaccine rollout in one of the world's poorest regions.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivek Jain ◽  
Sarah B. Doernberg ◽  
Marisa Holubar ◽  
Beatrice Huang ◽  
Carina Marquez ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundHealthcare personnel (HCP) are prioritized for earliest SARS-CoV-2 vaccine administration, yet relatively few data exist on HCP’s knowledge, motivations, concerns, and intentions regarding COVID-19 vaccines.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey Nov.16-Dec.8, 2020 among HCP enrolled in a cohort study at three Northern California medical centers serving diverse roles including COVID-19 patient care. Eligible HCP were adult (age≥18) on-site employees of the University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco General Hospital, and Stanford Healthcare. A one-time electronically-administered survey was sent to cohort HCP on November 16, 2020 and responses analyzed.ResultsOverall, among 2,448 HCP invited, 2,135 completed the COVID-19 vaccine survey (87.2% response rate). HCPs had mean age 41 years, were 73% female, and had diverse jobs including COVID-19 patient contact. Enthusiasm for vaccination was overall strong, and more HCP (1,453, 69%) said they would definitely/likely receive vaccine if formally FDA-approved versus if approved via emergency use authorization only (785, 35%). While 541 (25%) respondents wanted to be among the earliest to receive vaccine, more desired vaccination after the first round (777, 36%) or >2 months after vaccinations began (389, 18%). Top factors increasing motivation for vaccination included perceiving risk from COVID-19 to self (1,382, 65%) or to family/friends (1355, 63%). Top concerns were vaccine side effects, cited by 596 (28%), and concerns about political involvement in FDA’s approval process (249, 12%).ConclusionsHCP were enthusiastic about COVID-19 vaccination for individual protection and protecting others, but harbored concerns about vaccine side effects. Our data may inform emerging vaccine education campaigns.Key PointsAmong 2,135 healthcare personnel surveyed, we found enthusiasm for COVID-19 vaccination both for individual benefit and protecting others. However, healthcare personnel rated their knowledge of COVID-19 vaccines as only moderate and harbored concerns about vaccine side effects. Education raising awareness of vaccine efficacy and side effects may help maximize vaccine uptake.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirra Ramakrishnan ◽  

“Vaccination causes autism.” “People were fine before vaccines existed.” “Vaccines can overload the immune system and have side-effects.” The truths behind these fears are extremely meager. And, if believed, they can have profound consequences.


2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (10) ◽  
pp. 2710-2712 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Carlo Hojilla ◽  
Julia L Marcus ◽  
Michael J Silverberg ◽  
C Bradley Hare ◽  
Rachel Herbers ◽  
...  

Abstract Among 279 patients within a large healthcare system in San Francisco, event-driven HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis using a 2–1–1 regimen was a desirable alternative to daily dosing. Problems with adherence, planning sex in advance, or side effects were infrequent (13.9%). We found no new HIV infections over 136 person-years of follow-up.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 1535-1539
Author(s):  
Valentina Leta ◽  
Daniel J. van Wamelen ◽  
Anna Sauerbier ◽  
Shelley Jones ◽  
Miriam Parry ◽  
...  

Combined catechol-O-methyl-transferase-inhibition and Levodopa-Carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) infusion has the potential to reduce LCIG daily dose and the costs of this therapy. In this retrospective analysis, we report on Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients on LCIG with concomitant Opicapone. In 11 patients, the introduction of Opicapone led to LCIG daily dose being reduced by 24.8% (p = 0.05) without any significant worsening of dyskinesia. Three patients withdrew from Opicapone due to side effects or inefficacy. LCIG daily dose reduction could lead to cost savings of £142,820.63/year in the United Kingdom while maintaining clinical care.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis A Rubio ◽  
James Peng ◽  
Susy Rojas ◽  
Susana Rojas ◽  
Emily Crawford ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Rapid coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis and isolation of infectious persons are critical to stopping forward transmission, and the care cascade framework can identify gaps in the COVID-19 response. Methods We described a COVID-19 symptom to isolation cascade and barriers among symptomatic persons who tested polymerase chain reaction positive for severe acute respiratory disease coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at a low-barrier testing site serving a low-income Latinx community in San Francisco. Steps in the cascade are defined as days from symptom onset to test, test to result, and result to counseling on self-isolation. We examined SARS-CoV-2 cycle threshold (Ct) values to assess the likelihood of infectiousness on the day of testing and during missed isolation days. Results Among 145 persons, 97% were Latinx and 81% had an income of <$50 000. The median time from symptom onset to isolation (interquartile range [IQR]) was 7 (5–10) days, leaving a median (IQR) of 3 (0–6) days of isolation. Eighty-three percent had moderate to high levels of virus (Ct <33), but by disclosure 23% were out of their isolation period. The longest intervals were symptom onset to test (median [IQR], 4 [2–9] days) and test to results notification (median [IQR], 3 [2–4] days). Access to a test site was the most common barrier to testing, and food and income loss was the most common barrier to isolation. Conclusions Over half of the 10-day isolation period passed by the time of disclosure, and over a fifth of people were likely outside the window of infectiousness by the time they received results. Improvements in test access and turnaround time, plus support for isolation, are needed for epidemic control of SARS-CoV-2 in highly impacted communities.


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