“I Would Rather Take the Vaccine Than Undergo Weekly Testing”: Correlates of Health Workers’ Support for COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates

Abstract

This study examined the support for vaccine mandates and uptake among clinical and non-clinical staff at a tertiary hospital in northern Nigeria, focusing on variation of survey responses based on job position, socio-demographic characteristics, and perceived risk of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Using an explanatory, sequential, mixed-methods design and deploying a pragmatic paradigm, 370 healthcare workers were administered structured questionnaires. This was followed by in-depth interviews with a sub-sample of respondents to further clarify the responses regarding support for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine mandate. Findings demonstrated that less than one-half of respondents supported the COVID-19 mandate, and only one in three had received the recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses. Support for the vaccine mandate and vaccine uptake were predicted by profession, work experience, number of children, health status, and risk perception. Support for the vaccine mandate was ascribed to ethical and professional duty, whereas opposition was associated with respect for autonomy and human rights. This study documents the need to enhance support for vaccine mandates and uptake among healthcare workers through sustainable strategies, as Nigeria’s healthcare workers are considered a source of trust and role models for the rest of society.

Assessing the impact of COVID-19 passes and mandates on disease transmission, vaccination intention, and uptake: A scoping review

“…While the studies in our synthesis reported high vaccination rates in this subpopulation, we also found hesitancy and even to some extent, rejection of the vaccination mandate. Similar to our findings, low support for COVID-19 vaccine mandates was found in Nigeria [69], France [70], and Cyprus [71]. The most common reasons for this hesitancy were related to the safety of this "new" vaccine and also some distrust in the government or the reported results from large-scale randomized trials [72].…”

Is resisting Covid-19 vaccination a “problem”? A critical policy inquiry of vaccine mandates for healthcare workers

“…Hence one author stated "COVID-19 vaccine mandates for [HCWs] may ultimately be the only viable strategy for achieving an adequate level of vaccination among health care workers", especially for HCWs who were "on the fence", yet presented "modifiable barriers to vaccination"such as HCWs waiting for more long term safety data (Choi et al, 2022) (p.294). The call for mandatory vaccinations for HCWs cut across continents, with studies from low-or middle-income countries also recommending it given concerns over "vaccine hesitancy" (Badahdah et al, 2022;Iliyasu et al, 2022;Iwu et al, 2022;Singh et al, 2021) and the health challenge "hesitating" would unleash.…”

Coercive Vaccination Policy in Nigeria: Legal Perspectives

“…Such policies may potentially interfere with a number of human rights, including the right to liberty, to work, education, bodily integrity, privacy, freedom of movement, freedom of assembly, and the right to equal treatment [2]. In December 2021, the Nigerian federal government declared a compulsory COVID-19 immunization for all employees of government [8]. This declaration by the government has been viewed by some Nigerians as a contravention of the fundamental rights of Nigerian citizens.…”