Surveying willingness towards SARS-CoV-2 vaccination of healthcare workers in Italy.

Di Giuseppe, Gabriella; Pelullo, Concetta P; Della Polla, Giorgia; Montemurro, Maria V; Napolitano, Francesco; Pavia, Maria; Angelillo, Italo F

BACKGROUND Understanding healthcare workers (HCWs) willingness to receive a future vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be useful. METHODS Cross-sectional study, conducted in Italy from September 14th to November 30th, 2020, among 811 HCWs who undergo a voluntary antibody-testing for anti-SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS The perceived risk level of developing COVID-19, measured on a Likert-type scale ranging from 1 and 10, was 6.6 and it was higher among females, older HCWs, and in those who agreed that COVID-19 is a severe disease. Married/cohabitant, not physicians, and those who needed additional information regarding the vaccination against COVID-19 were more likely to be concerned that COVID-19 vaccination might not be safe. Males, physicians, those who did not have had any symptom compatible with COVID-19, those who agreed that COVID-19 was a severe disease, those who perceived to be at higher risk of developing COVID-19, those who were not concerned about the safety of the vaccination, and those who had received information regarding the COVID-19 vaccination from scientific journals expressed willingness to receive vaccination against COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS Communication and education targeted to groups with lowest willingness are needed to raise awareness regarding the safety and benefits of the vaccination and to improve vaccine uptake.