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Deng Z, Grépin KA. Achilles' heel: elderly COVID-19 vaccination policy in China. Health Res Policy Syst 2024; 22:90. [PMID: 39103903 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-024-01155-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite high overall COVID-19 vaccine coverage, the continuously low elderly vaccination rate in mainland China remains a dangerous threat as the country shifts away from its zero-Covid policy. This retrospective study uses the Multiple Streams Framework to examine how macro-level factors may explain poor elderly vaccination outcomes. METHODS We performed a thematic analysis of qualitative data obtained from 95 official press conferences from October 20, 2020, to February 27, 2023, vaccination-related policy documents, and media coverage, using both inductive and deductive coding approaches. RESULTS Our findings suggest that in the problem stream, elderly vaccination was not a "focusing event" during the initial vaccine rollout, resulting in delayed outreach to this population. Additionally, ideologically driven complacency and discrepancies in top-down implementation undermined elderly vaccination in the political stream. In the policy stream, precautious and ambiguous statements, inconsistent policy content, radical shifting media messages, and less age-friendly digital technologies also affected elderly vaccination. CONCLUSIONS The poor convergence of the three streams led the elderly to be the Achilles' heel of China's COVID-19 containment strategy. Future studies should focus on priority identification, adoption of enforcement measures, and timely and effective policy dissemination. The empirical lessons from China can inform and optimize elderly vaccination policy design and implementation in the post-pandemic era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziru Deng
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Patrick Manson Building, 7 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | - Karen A Grépin
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Patrick Manson Building, 7 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
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Lun P, Ning K, Wang Y, Ma TSW, Flores FP, Xiao X, Subramaniam M, Abdin E, Tian L, Tsang TK, Leung K, Wu JT, Cowling BJ, Leung GM, Ni MY. COVID-19 Vaccination Willingness and Reasons for Vaccine Refusal. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2337909. [PMID: 37856125 PMCID: PMC10587797 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.37909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Hong Kong was held as an exemplar for pandemic response until it recorded the world's highest daily COVID-19 mortality, which was likely due to vaccine refusal. To prevent this high mortality in future pandemics, information on underlying reasons for vaccine refusal is necessary. Objectives To track the evolution of COVID-19 vaccination willingness and uptake from before vaccine rollout to mass vaccination, to examine factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine refusal and compare with data from Singapore, and to assess the population attributable fraction for vaccine refusal. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study used data from randomly sampled participants from 14 waves of population-based studies in Hong Kong (February 2020 to May 2022) and 2 waves of population-based studies in Singapore (May 2020 to June 2021 and October 2021 to January 2022), and a population-wide registry of COVID-19 vaccination appointments. Data were analyzed from February 23, 2021, to May 30, 2022. Exposures Trust in COVID-19 vaccine information sources (ie, health authorities, physicians, traditional media, and social media); COVID-19 vaccine confidence on effectiveness, safety, and importance; COVID-19 vaccine misconceptions on safety and high-risk groups; political views; and COVID-19 policies (ie, workplace vaccine mandates and vaccine pass). Main Outcomes and Measures Primary outcomes were the weighted prevalence of COVID-19 vaccination willingness over the pandemic, adjusted incidence rate ratios, and population attributable fractions of COVID-19 vaccine refusal. A secondary outcome was change in daily COVID-19 vaccination appointments. Results The study included 28 007 interviews from 20 waves of longitudinal data, with 1114 participants in the most recent wave (median [range] age, 54.2 years [20-92] years; 571 [51.3%] female). Four factors-mistrust in health authorities, low vaccine confidence, vaccine misconceptions, and political views-could jointly account for 82.2% (95% CI, 62.3%-100.0%) of vaccine refusal in adults aged 18 to 59 years and 69.3% (95% CI, 47.2%-91.4%) of vaccine refusal in adults aged 60 years and older. Workplace vaccine mandates were associated with 62.2% (95% CI, 9.9%-139.2%) increases in daily COVID-19 vaccination appointments, and the Hong Kong vaccine pass was associated with 124.8% (95% CI, 65.9%-204.6%) increases in daily COVID-19 vaccination appointments. Conclusions and Relevance These findings suggest that trust in health authorities was fundamental to overcoming vaccine hesitancy. As such, engendering trust in health care professionals, experts, and public health agencies should be incorporated into pandemic preparedness and response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phyllis Lun
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Ke Ning
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Yishan Wang
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Tiffany S. W. Ma
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Francis P. Flores
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Xiao Xiao
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Mythily Subramaniam
- Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Linwei Tian
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Tim K. Tsang
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kathy Leung
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Joseph T. Wu
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Benjamin J. Cowling
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Gabriel M. Leung
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Michael Y. Ni
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Urban System Institute, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
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Evolution and Control of COVID-19 Epidemic in Hong Kong. Viruses 2022; 14:v14112519. [PMID: 36423128 PMCID: PMC9698160 DOI: 10.3390/v14112519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hong Kong SAR has adopted universal masking, social distancing, testing of all symptomatic and high-risk groups for isolation of confirmed cases in healthcare facilities, and quarantine of contacts as epidemiological control measures without city lockdown or border closure. These measures successfully suppressed the community transmission of pre-Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants or lineages during the first to the fourth wave. No nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infection was documented among healthcare workers in the first 300 days. The strategy of COVID-19 containment was adopted to provide additional time to achieve population immunity by vaccination. The near-zero COVID-19 situation for about 8 months in 2021 did not enable adequate immunization of the eligible population. A combination of factors was identified, especially population complacency associated with the low local COVID-19 activity, together with vaccine hesitancy. The importation of the highly transmissible Omicron variant kickstarted the fifth wave of COVID-19, which could no longer be controlled by our initial measures. The explosive fifth wave, which was partially contributed by vertical airborne transmission in high-rise residential buildings, resulted in over one million cases of infection. In this review, we summarize the epidemiology of COVID-19 and the infection control and public health measures against the importation and dissemination of SARS-CoV-2 until day 1000.
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Choi UI, Pang Y, Zheng Y, Tang PK, Hu H, Ung COL. Parents' intention for their children to receive COVID-19 vaccine: Implications for vaccination program in Macao. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:978661. [PMID: 36263149 PMCID: PMC9575691 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.978661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The decision about vaccinating children is subject to their parents' decision. To inform strategies that support full vaccination coverage, it is important to understand the parents' vaccination attitude and tendency to act. This study aims to investigate the intention and the factors affecting parents' decision-making about vaccinating their children. METHODS A cross-sectional, self-administered online questionnaire was completed by parents of children aged 3-12 yeas in Macao between 7 March and 17 April 2022. The survey tool was informed by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) which composes of the variable "intention" and three TPB constructs (Attitude, Subjective Norm, and Perceived Behavioral Control). Respondents rated their level of agreement on the construct statements using a 5-point Likert scale. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine if the TPB constructs were predictors of parents' intention. RESULTS A total of 1,217 parents completed the questionnaire. The majority of participants were mothers (83.2%), aged 31-40 years (62.7%), having two or more children (74.1%), had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine (84.4%) and considered themselves knowledgeable about the vaccine (62.1%), all of which were significantly associated with the intention to vaccinate their children (all p < 0.05). Their intention varied from negative (19.1%), neutral (38.4%) to positive (42.5%). Respondents were mostly concerned about the serious side effects that the COVID-19 vaccine (mean = 3.96 ± 1.23), highly acknowledged the expectation by the school (mean = 3.94 ± 1.15) and the community (mean = 3.90 ± 1.19) of children vaccination, and rated highly the ease of making necessary arrangement (mean = 3.93 ± 1.25). In the multiple linear regression model which explained 63.5% of the variance in the intention-to-vaccinate their children, only Attitude (B = 0.52, p < 0.001) and Subjective Norm (B = 0.39, p < 0.001) were identified as strong predictors. The major reasons for not having intention were safety concerns (n = 646/699, 92.4%). Participants' most trusted local information sources were doctors (n = 682), government (n = 426) and healthcare professional organizations (n = 416). CONCLUSIONS Vaccinating children with COVID-19 vaccine is a complex decision-making for parents. A key to a successful COVID-19 vaccination program is effective communication about the safety profile and the usage experiences warranting the integration of reliable information sources across different healthcare sectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Un I Choi
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Science, University of Macau, Zhuhai, Macao SAR, China
| | - Yimin Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Science, University of Macau, Zhuhai, Macao SAR, China
| | - Yu Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Science, University of Macau, Zhuhai, Macao SAR, China
| | - Pou Kuan Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Science, University of Macau, Zhuhai, Macao SAR, China
| | - Hao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Science, University of Macau, Zhuhai, Macao SAR, China.,Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Zhuhai, Macao SAR, China
| | - Carolina Oi Lam Ung
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Science, University of Macau, Zhuhai, Macao SAR, China.,Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Zhuhai, Macao SAR, China
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