COVID-19 vaccination status in Germany: Factors and reasons for not being vaccinated (yet)

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that effective vaccines constitute a central element of successful pandemic control. Although everyone in Germany has had the opportunity to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, some people remain hesitant or refuse to get vaccinated. To address this phenomenon as well as to examine the unvaccinated population more closely, the present study investigates (RQ1) factors explaining the COVID-19 vaccination status (RQ2) trust in different types of COVID-19 vaccines, and (RQ3) people's specific reasons for not getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

Methods

We base our findings on a representative survey that we conducted in Germany in December 2021 with 1,310 respondents.

Results

In response to the first research question, a logistic regression shows that trust in specific institutions (e.g., medical experts and authorities) is positively related to vaccination status, whereas trust in companies and COVID-19-related social and alternative media consumption decreases the likelihood of being vaccinated. Furthermore (RQ2), while vaccinated people trust mRNA-based vaccines (e.g., BioNTech), most unvaccinated people put greater trust in recently developed protein-based vaccines (e.g., Novavax), albeit on a low level. Finally, our study reveals (RQ3) that the most important reason why people choose not to get vaccinated is that they wish to make their own decisions about their bodies.

Conclusion

Based on our results, we suggest that a successful vaccination campaign should address COVID-19 risk groups and lower income populations, increase trust in different public institutions and newly developed vaccines in advance, establish a multisectoral approach, and debunk fake news and misinformation. Furthermore, since unvaccinated respondents state that the desire to make their own choices about their body is the main reason why they have not gotten vaccinated against COVID-19, an effective vaccination campaign should emphasize the need for general practitioners who have a closer relationship with their patients who, in turn, trust their doctors.

Requirements for the use of impact-based forecasts and warnings by road maintenance services in Germany

Abstract. Impact-based forecasts and warnings (IBFs) are seen as important drivers for adequate anticipation and assessment of potential threats to public safety as they give a better understanding of the weather event's impacts. To prepare for impacts of weather events and prevent weather-related accidents, road maintenance services are actively using weather information in their daily work routine. This paper looks into the requirements that road maintenance services have for IBFs and how weather forecasts are used at the moment. The study is part of an interdisciplinary research project and follows a qualitative social science research approach. Findings show that the following factors are general user requirements: relevance of information, recognition of spatial and temporal requests, acceptability, comprehensibility, and technical demands. These are also applicable to IBFs with the extension to provide a benefit for road maintenance services in situations that rarely occur and where no embodied knowledge in the organization is existent.

Austria’s Path Toward Nationwide Electronic Health Records

Objectives: This article discusses current planning activities in Austria after legislation has been passed to introduce the electronic health record (EHR).

Methods: After describing similar activities in several other countries, the authors explore the current situation of healthcare telematics and imminent steps toward the implementation of a lifelong EHR.

Results: Substantial efforts have been made to coordinate healthcare telematics in Austria since the mid-1990s. One result of these efforts was the definition of a framework for electronic data exchange. A number of standardization projects were also implemented. Major steps have been taken as part of an ongoing healthcare reform to promote the use of healthcare telematics. One important example is a national initiative whose objective is to implement the EHR. This initiative is extensively discussed along with other national activities related to healthcare telematics.

Conclusion: This EHR initiative has prepared the ground for extensive planning that is currently under way to implement a lifelong EHR in Austria on a national level. Introducing the EHR will have a strong impact on Austrian healthcare and should be performed in concert with international activities. The authors offer a number of practical recommendations for the implementation of an EHR on a national level.