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This paper is a response to the recent correspondence published in this journal where the author rightly stated that need to redirect one's perception on the different realities of life such as death. This paper discusses the difficulties associated with loss, grief and healing in the time of COVID-19 pandemic. This paper further adds the importance of accompaniment to people experiencing the complicated grief process. The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the way one overcome grief where the bereaved are required to grieve without the support of usual social, cultural and religious rituals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination hesitancy is a concern that the world faces. The government and private sectors are initiating measures to address this problem. Media plays a crucial role in information and extensive dissemination. This paper highlights the role of the agenda setting platform in shaping public opinion on COVID-19 vaccination program. Massive information dissemination through media can be an effective tool in educating the public regarding the efficacy of anti-COVID 19 vaccines both for self-preservation and promotion of the common good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the many complex and traumatic losses brought by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. During this crisis, it is important to grieve what has been lost, and it is also important to find meaning and hope in how life has changed. Conversely, there is no one size fits all formula for healing and coping with loss. Healing occurs in phases where one is moving in and out of different emotions. The saying 'time heals all wounds' is only partially correct because, for prolonged grief, time is not the solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a recent correspondence, vaccine hesitancy and its pressing issue in possible delaying of being triumphant in the pandemic was discussed. This paper highlights vaccine nationalism as a predicament that would not just delay but worsen the present situation of the pandemic. This study suggests a global response among countries that people must see the world as a global village and as one community it must save collectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The public's trust in the COVID-19 vaccination program is still a problem, especially in the Philippines. Many have suggested that the government and even healthcare workers should exhaust all their efforts to educate the public about the nature of the vaccines. However, rebuilding public trust is not only a governmental concern, but should also be taken as a personal responsibility. Thus, this paper argues that mindfulness through critical thinking is a necessary key in boosting the vaccination program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the expedited production of the COVID-19 vaccines and other issues related to it, many Filipinos are hesitant to receive the inoculation program set by the government. Because of this, it is crucial to gain public trust for the COVID-19 vaccines. This paper argues that the Catholic Church, being an influential institution in the Philippines, can help in building public trust in COVID-19 vaccines in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses COVID-19 vaccination rollout strategies developed and disseminated the World Health Organization referencing recent correspondence of Cordero. Topics discussed include role of government in COVID-19 vaccines procurement and rollout which is to be proactive, transparent and efficient; analyzes the urgent need to harness the Philippine government's strategic policy-making; and efficient implementation of COVID-19 vaccination rollout in Philippines.

Background: High rates of vaccination are worldwide required to establish a herd immunity stopping the current COVID-19 pandemic evolution. Vaccine hesitancy is a major barrier in achieving herd immunity across different populations. This study sought to conduct a systematic review of the current literature regarding attitudes and hesitancy to receiving COVID-19 vaccination worldwide. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Multiple databases were searched, namely PubMed and Web of Science, on February 24th, 2021 using a set of developed keywords. Inclusion criteria included the study to be 1) conducted in English; 2) investigated attitudes, hesitancy, and/or barriers to COVID-19 vaccine acceptability among a given population; 3) utilized validated measurements techniques; 4) have the full text paper available and 5) be peer-reviewed prior to final publication. The Newcastle Ottawa (NOS) scale for cross sectional studies was used to assess the quality of the studies. Results: 73 studies were included in qualitative synthesis. Overall, vaccine acceptance rates ranged from 23.6% in Kuwait to 94.3% in Malaysia and Nepal. A variety of different factors contributed to increased hesitancy, some of which included having negative perception of vaccine efficacy, safety, convenience and price. Some of the consistent socio-demographic groups that were identified to be associated with increased hesitancy included: women, younger participants, less educated, with lower income, with no insurance, living in the rural area and self-identified as a racial/ethnic minority. Conclusions: Vaccine hesitancy rates against COVID-19 vaccine ranged widely among across different populations. Identifying the factors that interplay and result in high hesitancy rates among a population can allow formulating a directed intervention to increase their vaccination uptake rates. Key messages: • It is necessary to understand the factors that contribute to the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. • It is important to inform policy-makers and formulate direct intervention measures that will successfully handle the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a stigma and hesitancy regarding COVID-19 vaccination in the Philippines. Many Filipinos are still hesitant to be vaccinated. This paper highlights the role of the Catholic Church as a powerful institution which can influence the people not only in spiritual aspect but also in promoting public health by motivating locals to get vaccinated. This task can be specifically done through the efforts of Catholic Higher Education Institutions (HEI) that place prominence and priority on social work and mission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As COVID-19 cases rise in one of Southeast Asia's worst-hit nations, low public trust in vaccines will be a huge block in the government's vaccination program. In a recent survey in January 2021 which was conducted by Pulse Asia, nearly half of Filipinos said that they would not get vaccinated against COVID-19 due to safety concerns. A proposed solution would be a Multisectoral Approach (MSA). MSA refers to the deliberate collaboration among various stakeholder groups (e.g. government, civil society and private and religious sectors) and sectors (e.g. health, environment and economy) to achieve a policy outcome. By engaging multiple sectors, such as interfaith collaborations, governments can leverage knowledge, expertise, reach and resources, benefiting from their combined and varied strengths as they work toward the shared goal of building public trust on vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health-care professionals (HCPs) are key trusted figures in addressing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) challenges. They are thought to influence others' health decisions by personal example. However, during the COVID-19 crisis, some HCPs hesitated to be vaccinated. We examined factors contributing to that decision. We performed 12 semi-structured interviews, between February and May 2021, with Israeli HCPs who had declined or delayed COVID-19 vaccination. Three coders conducted a combined top-down and bottom-up analysis. We identified four main themes shaping vaccine decision-making: (i) sources of information, (ii) perceptions of necessity and risks of the vaccine, (iii) individual versus collective responsibility and (iv) political climate and media influence. Participants were worried about long-term effectiveness and safety, and while many agreed that high-risk populations should be vaccinated, all considered themselves to be at low risk for serious disease. Some felt they should avoid taking a perceived risk (accepting a new vaccine) to protect society, although they felt pressured to do so. Vaccination campaign politization and the way the media approached the subject also contributed to mistrust and hesitancy to be vaccinated. These findings help us understand HCP beliefs and uncertainties about COVID-19 vaccinations. This study can help inform future campaigns targeted at HCPs to promote the acceptance of vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Personal protective equipment (PPE) use is associated with reduced risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare personnel (HCP). There are limited data on the impact of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the PPE use of HCP. We describe the changes in PPE use from just before the widespread of community outbreaks ('pre-pandemic') to intra-pandemic time points, and examine factors associated with not changing in PPE use behavior among HCP in four Thai hospitals. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort evaluation using two-time points: (i) February-March 2020 (pre-pandemic period); and (ii) January–March 2021 (intra-pandemic period). Self-reported frequency of appropriate PPE use was measured by a Likert scale. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with no increase in self-reported PPE use. Results Of 343 HCP, the proportion of participants reporting 'always' using PPE rose from 66% during the pre-pandemic period to 80% during the pandemic. Factors associated with HCP who did not increase in PPE use included having high baseline reported PPE, being a non-registered HCP (e.g. nurse assistants, dental assistants, porters), being male, and having a low perceived risk of becoming infected with any respiratory virus while working in the hospital. Conclusion PPE education, training, and risk communication content should target all cadres of HCP, regardless of registered/non-registered status, with a focus on behavior change for improved prevention and control of SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses in healthcare settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent correspondence highlighted the need to change the COVID-19 vaccine narrative to combat vaccine hesitancy by stressing that vaccination is a moral act. The said article was in response to another correspondence which said that science and religion must work together for vaccine promotion. This article presents a fundamental Christian argument for vaccine promotion by saying that God may have provided an answer to the pandemic through the COVID-19 vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recently published correspondence proposed the involvement of private-owned companies in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program. This article raises awareness that vaccine hesitancy could undermine the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination programs. This article proposes the idea of public participation: dialog-based approach, incentive-based (non-financial) approach and reminder-recall approach based on the World Health Organization guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To describe the perceptions of delay in medical care-seeking, when afflicted by an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) during the first wave of the pandemic. Methods and results A qualitative descriptive study with an inductive approach. Fourteen semi-structured interviews were conducted, analysed by qualitative content analysis with a manifest approach. One category and six sub-categories emerged. The decision was reached when the health threat was perceived as critical, which made the earlier thoughts of the pandemic fade away. The risk of infection during medical visits caused fear of contracting the disease. This resulted in hesitation, neglect of symptoms, and avoidance of healthcare visits. Following recommendations from authorities and media about personal responsibility was motivated by fear, affecting the care-seeking. Conclusion It appears that the COVID-19 pandemic raised the threshold for deciding to seek medical care when presenting with an AMI. The pandemic led to increased patient delay due to several reasons among which fear of contracting the disease was prominent. The emotion of fear was related to the external threat to one's own health, due to COVID-19, and not fear of symptoms related to an AMI. The media reporting the healthcare system as overloaded increased insecurity and may have had an influence on delay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Nearly all workers and industry sectors have been affected by the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in some form since March 2020. However, the pandemic-related stressors experienced in the workplace may vary from industry to industry and may have disproportionally affected some workers. This study investigates increased stress levels, stressor events, and other perceptions of stress from at-risk workers during COVID-19. Methods An in-depth work-related stress survey that incorporated many aspects of work, life, work-life balance, and the health of employer-employee relationships was developed with a focus on COVID-19-related stressors. The cross-sectional survey was distributed online through professional networks from October to November 2021. The survey results were statically analyzed using Kruskal–Wallis one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) after grouping the industry sectors into the four groups to determine trends within these groupings. Results The survey was completed by 670 workers in sectors such as manual labor, business/office service, healthcare, and education. A variety of trends were determined between the occurrence of COVID-19 and work stress which had, in some cases, affected some industry sectors to a larger degree than others. More than 50% of the participants reported experiencing an increased workload since the onset of the pandemic with some sectors, like healthcare, reporting an increased workload more frequently at 80%. Around 55% of respondents believed they could be exposed to COVID-19 in their workplace, ranging from 52% of business/office service workers to 77% of healthcare workers. Conclusions As workplaces navigate past the pandemic, occupational stress should be addressed head-on through workplaces providing expanded resources so as to assure work stress associated with future pandemics are mitigated appropriately. Whether the stressor is associated with irregular shift work or psychosocial aspects (i.e. relying on coworkers), many of these stressors have the possibility to become exacerbated by external factors such as pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Many public health experts have claimed that elimination strategies of pandemic response allow 'normal social life' to resume. Recognizing that social connections and feelings of normality are important for public health, this study examines whether, and for whom, that goal is realized, and identifies obstacles that may inhibit its achievement. Methods Thematic analysis of narratives obtained via a qualitative cross-sectional survey of a community cohort in Aotearoa | New Zealand. Results A majority of participants reported that life after elimination was 'more or less the same' as before the pandemic. Some became more social. Nevertheless, a sizeable minority reported being less social, even many months after elimination. Key obstacles to social recovery included fears that the virus was circulating undetected and the enduring impact of lockdowns upon social relationships, personal habits and mental health. Within our sample, old age and underlying health conditions were both associated with a propensity to become less social. Conclusions Elimination strategies can successfully allow 'normal social life' to resume. However, this outcome is not guaranteed. People may encounter difficulties with re-establishing social connections in Zero-COVID settings. Measures designed to overcome such obstacles should be an integral part of elimination strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the surge of COVID-19 cases worldwide, it is essential that vaccination be prioritized to facilitate herd immunity. However, there is vaccine hesitancy reflected in religiosity. This correspondence aims to understand religiosity as a factor that plays a role in vaccination hesitancy. Medical and scientifically sound evidence is influenced by religious beliefs resulting in varied responses toward getting vaccinated such as vaccination hesitancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) does not discriminate; it affects everyone regardless of beliefs, gender, nationality, skin color, and social class. A recent correspondence published in the Journal of Public Health proposed the 'collaboration of science and religion in COVID-19 vaccine promotion.' The said article was in response to a previously published correspondence, which proposed a multi-sectoral approach on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination hesitancy. This article further adds that science, religion and state are not mutually exclusive with each other. What this article, therefore, proposes is a multidimensional relationship of science, religion and state to promote the COVID-19 vaccine and other science-based findings to combat the public fear of the public on vaccine and virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent correspondence published in this journal proposed a multi-sectoral approach on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination hesitancy, whereas another proposed that religious leaders play a role in gaining the public's trust in COVID-19 vaccine. This article raises awareness that though religious leaders play a huge role in promoting the COVID-19 vaccine, they are still bound by the findings of science. What this article, therefore, proposes is the collaboration of science and religion in COVID-19 vaccine promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In 2019, WHO classified vaccine hesitancy as one of the top 10 threats to global health. Vaccination is an area of excellence in nursing that has gained a new focus and has become a challenge in the provision of care and in the management field. Vaccine hesitation raises questions about mandatory vaccination, individual versus collective freedom that are highlighted in the current context due to the emergence of new vaccines. In this paper, we want to analyze and update knowledge about vaccines hesitancy from an ethical and bioethical perspective. Methods A combination of literature reviews on vaccine refusal/hesitancy, ethics and COVID-19 vaccine confidence, accessed on SciELO and PubMed databases and analysis of documents from General Directorate of Health and Ordem dos Enfermeiros (National Nurses Association). Results Vaccination programs aim is a collective protection. The desirable effects at individual level do not have the same ethical value at collective level, leading to cost-benefit imbalances. Moral conflicts between the individual and the collective, cost-benefit imbalances and the insufficiency of bioethics principles, lead us to the use of other moral values and principles, such as responsibility, solidarity and social justice, as a tool for ethical reflection problems related to COVID-19 vaccines. Conclusions There are no perfect solutions to ethical dilemmas and some optimal solutions could depend the context. In a pandemic situation, one of the most relevant ethical issues is the herd immunity since it leaves public health at risk. Equity and the principle of justice in vaccination campaign are shown daily in the nursing profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on Philippines has been challenged by the present global pandemic, and with the aim of the government to resolve this health issue, public trust is crucial to reduce the social uncertainties of the citizens. Topics include the inclination of a group of persons toward a common goal that requires participation, the public service is an illustration of government service for the public interest, and the public interest relevant to pandemic presents a considerable moral concern.

Objectives Older adults face greater health risks due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), yet preventative social distancing measures may cause increased social isolation, potentially heightening risk of loneliness. In this mixed-methods study we examine changes in older adults' loneliness due to social distancing, explore variability in perceptions, and identify whether such changes differ by rurality. Methods A Midwestern sample of 76 older adults aged 70–97 (mean age = 82; 74% female; 95% White; 39% rural) completed a phone interview about their experiences with social distancing due to COVID-19. Interviews were conducted during early weeks of regional social distancing. Participants completed retrospective and current assessments of loneliness, including providing explanations of their responses. Results On average, loneliness increased during early social distancing, yet variability was evident. Those experiencing increased loneliness described a feeling of loss or lack of control, whereas those experiencing stability in loneliness identified adaptability in social connection modes or feeling accustomed to social isolation. Rural older adults experienced a significantly smaller increase in loneliness than their nonrural counterparts. Discussion These findings suggest nuanced experiences among older adults, but generally negative implications for loneliness. Interventions to address older adults' social isolation and loneliness during COVID-19 are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As countries continue the third year of the pandemic, we believe that there has been unfair attention to COVID-19 vaccine efficacy and safety, while tacitly ignoring serious challenges with vaccine uptake, without which vaccination may not be effective against the spread of COVID-19. While several studies have been published on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, there remains a need to conduct a comprehensive global analysis of vaccine hesitancy. We conducted a scoping review of 60 studies published globally on vaccine hesitancy and acceptance. We conducted a qualitative analysis to identify motivators and barriers to vaccination across several cultural and demographic contexts. We found the following factors to be relevant in any discussion about addressing or minimizing vaccine hesitancy: risk perceptions, trust in health care systems, solidarity, previous experiences with vaccines, misinformation, concerns about vaccine side effects and political ideology. We combine our insights from this comprehensive review of global literature to offer an important and practical discussion about two strategies that have been used to improve vaccine uptake: (i) communication and education and (ii) vaccine rollout and logistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a thematic analysis of 100 articles which appeared in 'SW2020 under COVID-19' online magazine, authored by people with lived experience, practitioners, students and academics. The magazine was founded by an editorial collective of the authors of this article and ran as a free online magazine during the period of the first UK COVID-19 lockdown period (March–July 2020). It contained a far higher proportion of submissions from the first three groups of contributors, above, than traditional journals. The analysis is organised under four analytic themes: 'Hidden populations; Life, loss and hope; Practising differently and Policy and system change'. The article concludes by describing the apparent divergence between accounts that primarily suggest evidence of improved working relationships between social workers and those they serve via digital practices, and accounts suggesting that an increasingly authoritarian social work practice has emerged under COVID-19. We argue that, notwithstanding this divergence, an upsurge in activism within social work internationally during the pandemic provides a basis for believing that the emergence of a community-situated, socially engaged social work is possible post-pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examine the factors that promote vaccine hesitancy or acceptance during pandemics, major epidemics and global outbreaks. A systematic review and thematic analysis of 28 studies on the Influenza A/H1N1 pandemic and the global spread of Ebola Virus Disease. We found seven major factors that promote vaccine hesitancy or acceptance: demographic factors influencing vaccination (ethnicity, age, sex, pregnancy, education, and employment), accessibility and cost, personal responsibility and risk perceptions, precautionary measures taken based on the decision to vaccinate, trust in health authorities and vaccines, the safety and efficacy of a new vaccine, and lack of information or vaccine misinformation. An understanding of participant experiences and perspectives toward vaccines from previous pandemics will greatly inform the development of strategies to address the present situation with the COVID-19 pandemic. We discuss the impact vaccine hesitancy might have for the introduction and effectiveness of a potential COVID-19 vaccine. In particular, we believe that skepticism toward vaccines can still exist when there are no vaccines available, which is contrary to contemporary conceptualizations of vaccine hesitancy. We recommend conducting further research assessing the relationship between the accessibility and cost of vaccines, and vaccine hesitancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We examined differences in negative attitudes toward vaccines in general, and intentions to vaccinate against Covid-19 specifically, by smoking status in a large sample of adults in the UK.Method: Data were from 29 148 adults participating in the Covid-19 Social Study in September-October 2020. Linear regression analyses examined associations between smoking status (current/former/never) and four types of general negative vaccine attitudes: mistrust of vaccine benefit, worries about unforeseen effects, concerns about commercial profiteering, and preference for natural immunity. Multinomial logistic regression examined associations between smoking status and uncertainty and unwillingness to be vaccinated for Covid-19. Covariates included sociodemographic characteristics and diagnosed health conditions.Results: Relative to never and former smokers, current smokers reported significantly greater mistrust of vaccine benefit, were more worried about unforeseen future effects, had greater concerns about commercial profiteering, and had a stronger preference for natural immunity (Badjs 0.16-0.36, p < .001). Current smokers were more likely to be uncertain (27.6% vs. 22.7% of never smokers, RRadj 1.43 [95% confidence interval = 1.31-1.56]; vs. 19.3% of former smokers, RRadj 1.55 [1.41-1.73]) or unwilling (21.5% vs. 11.6% of never smokers, RRadj 2.12 [1.91-2.34]; vs. 14.7% of former smokers, RRadj 1.53 [1.37-1.71]) to receive a Covid-19 vaccine.Conclusions: Current smokers hold more negative attitudes toward vaccines in general, and are more likely to be undecided or unwilling to vaccinate against Covid-19, compared with never and former smokers. With a disproportionately high number of smokers belonging to socially clustered and disadvantaged socioeconomic groups, lower vaccine uptake in this group could also exacerbate health inequalities.Implications: These results suggest that without intervention, smokers will be less likely than nonsmokers to take up the offer of a Covid-19 vaccine when offered. Targeted policy action may be required to ensure that low uptake of Covid-19 vaccination programs does not compound health inequalities between smokers and nonsmokers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent correspondence revealed that medical students are hesitant of receiving vaccines. Recent studies revealed that the hesitancy was seen among other age groups. However, this challenge does not impede medical workers as they continue to care for patients infected with the virus. With proper education and guidance, hesitancy and fear will be replaced by trust to fight coronavirus disease 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus upended British politics in 2020 but where does it fit into the ideological map of party competition? Recent British elections have seen a shift from economic left–right competition between the major parties to competition on the cultural (liberal–authoritarian) dimension, most notably in terms of the issues of immigration and membership of the European Union. Using British Election Study data from June 2020, we find that coronavirus attitudes fall primarily onto the traditional economic left–right dimension, with left-wing voters more willing to make economic sacrifices of various types to reduce infections. However, more draconian coronavirus measures (such as fining or imprisoning those who violate the coronavirus rules) are most supported by voters who score high on authoritarianism. We show that the structure of coronavirus attitudes puts the Conservative government in a difficult position where many steps it takes to reduce infections risk alienating its core economic right-wing vote. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines have been reported to have a short-term effect on the menstrual cycle, delaying the onset of the next menses. However, the analytical methods that have been used to study this are subject to a statistical phenomenon called "length-biased sampling" that calls the results into question. Those data are important and should be reanalyzed in an unbiased way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is an emerging pandemic with heightened concerns for people with compromised immune systems, including people living with HIV.Purpose: In the absence of a vaccine, public health messaging to mitigate risks for COVID-19 primarily focuses on social distancing. Because people living with HIV commonly experience mistreatment associated with HIV, their response to social distancing may be complicated by psychosocial attitudes associated with COVID-19.Methods: To evaluate these relationships, we conducted a rapid-response, cross-sectional survey with people living with HIV (N = 149) to assess social distancing practices, COVID-19 discriminatory attitudes, COVID-19 xenophobic attitudes, HIV microaggressions, and concern over contracting COVID-19. Data were collected from participants enrolled in a larger ongoing study between March 30, 2020 and April 17, 2020.Results: Results indicated that choosing to socially distance to reduce COVID-19 exposure was associated with COVID-19 discriminatory attitudes, concerns of contracting COVID-19, and identifying as transgender. Likewise, social distancing imposed by others (e.g., cancelations and restrictions) was associated with concerns of contracting COVID-19.Conclusions: Findings demonstrate that social distancing measures are related to concerns of contracting the virus and discriminatory attitudes toward those who are presumed to be living with COVID-19. These potentially negative psychosocial attitudes toward people perceived to have COVID-19 echo the discriminatory actions and attitudes that we continue to observe in HIV social sciences research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the world welcomes the availability and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, coupled with it is the 'hesitant' predicament of some Filipinos to get vaccinated because of the confusing information regarding its efficacy. With this, the government needs to build up public trust to assure a successful vaccination program. A recent study suggested that a more 'localized' public education and role-modeling from public officials and health authorities can help in building public trust. However, this needs a lot of clarification if applied in the current situation where education is fully executed online. The problem now lies in the country's poor internet connectivity which greatly affects the online setup. This study then proposes that a house-to-house massive information campaign by local health care personnel which is led by a medical doctor to ensure a credible explanation of the entire procedure. In the same way, the idea of public officials as role-models seemed to be ineffective since there were already casualties linked to the vaccine. A consistent transparent approach is suggested in lieu of this which can prepare the country for a more defensive strategy to fight the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rollout of vaccines against COVID-19, an optimistic and a negative attitude among people have arisen. Surprisingly, surveys among people reveal that there is a significant rate of distrust against the vaccines. In a recent short report published in this journal, vaccine hesitancy was found out among medical students. Hence, wide array of research has been springing, recommending various approaches in assisting authorities deal with vaccine hesitancy such as proper and effective strategic communication as a solution. This study suggests however that a more 'localized' public education and role-modelling from public officials and health authorities can help a lot in building public trust. The study aims to contribute to the further development of public health mechanisms in the rolling-out and distribution of vaccines against COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vaccine hesitancy is the reluctance or refusal to be vaccinated. While it has been widely studied for various contagious diseases, there is still a lack of knowledge about this phenomenon for COVID-19, especially if health workers’ hesitancy is considered. Methods: An extensive review of the literature was conducted to identify the main determinants of vaccine hesitancy in health workers, as well as to find already validated surveys to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors (KAB) of health workers towards vaccination, both in general and with specific regard to COVID-19. Building on the available information, a new survey was developed to assess the KAB of Italian health care workers towards COVID-19 vaccination after validation with a pilot study in a diverse sample of 30 Italian health workers. Results: A new survey was validated to assess the KAB of health workers towards COVID-19 vaccination in Italian health workers. The survey requires about 6 minutes to complete and is composed of 30 questions, investigating different domains: sociodemographic and professional characteristics (6); health status (2); attitudes (11); behaviors (6); knowledge (4). The survey will be administered to a representative sample of at least 385 Italian health workers through the web platform Survey-Monkey in the period June-September 2021. Preliminary results will be available by the end of October 2021. Conclusions: By analyzing KAB towards COVID-19 vaccination with a new tool, the magnitude and determinants of health worker’s COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy will be evaluated to understand how to improve health workers’ perception towards COVID-19 vaccination and, consequently, foster their positive influence on the general population. Key messages: We explore the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors towards COVID-19 vaccination in all categories of health workers operating on the Italian territory to understand the reasons of vaccine hesitancy. Understanding the determinants of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Italian health workers is necessary given their influence on the perception of the general population in Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article informs about changing the COVID-19 vaccine narrative to dispel vaccine hesitancy. Topics include behavior slows down the inoculation efforts of the government and can lead to vaccine wastage; and minimal supply, logistical challenges in distribution and inoculation, and vaccine disinclination due to brand preference continue to put the health of millions of Filipinos at risk.

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editor discusses the various articles published within the issue on topics like the minimal focus given to older people in healthcare, the rehabilitation needs for COVID-19 patients, and the risk of COVID-19 in care homes.