Low COVID, flu vaccine uptake noted in US healthcare workers

During the 2023-24 cold and flu season, healthcare workers, including nursing home personnel and staff, had low uptake of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses and seasonal flu vaccines, despite a consistent recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to stay up to date on those vaccines.

The findings, published yesterday in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, showed regional differences in uptake. 

The National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) tracks vaccination among healthcare workers in hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes. From October 2023 to March 2024, NHSN defined up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination as receipt of a 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine, and up-to-date seasonal flu vaccine with that season’s immunization. 

Among approximately 8.8 million healthcare personnel working in more than 4,000 acute care hospitals, flu vaccine coverage was 80.7%. Among approximately 2.1 million healthcare personnel working in 14,294 nursing homes, flu vaccine coverage was 45.4%.

COVID vaccine uptake lower than for flu 

COVID vaccine uptake was much lower. Among the employees working in acute care hospitals, only 15.3% were vaccinated. The percentage was even lower in nursing homes, at 10.5% overall.

Uptake of COVID-19 vaccines was highest in the Pacific region for both acute care hospital staff and nursing home staff. Uptake was lowest in Mountain and Southern states, the authors said.

For the flu vaccine, uptake was highest in the Mountain region (84.5%) and lowest in the Pacific region (74.3%) for acute care hospitals. Vaccination coverage was highest in the Northeast region (58.6%) and lowest in the South region (38.1%) for nursing homes. 

The authors said uptake in COVID-19 vaccines decreased sharply from the previous year. 

Coverage with COVID-19 vaccination among healthcare personnel in nursing homes decreased from 22.8% during the 2022–23 respiratory virus season to 10.5% during the 2023–24 respiratory virus season.

“Coverage with COVID-19 vaccination among healthcare personnel in nursing homes decreased from 22.8% during the 2022–23 respiratory virus season to 10.5% during the 2023–24 respiratory virus season,” they wrote. “Like findings in previous studies, the current findings highlight the need to further investigate barriers to vaccination among health care personnel and identify additional strategies to address these challenges.