Pharmacists’ Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Recommendations

Abstract

Seasonal influenza vaccination rates among European countries remain low despite the World Health Organization’s recommendations to vaccinate high-risk groups. Healthcare worker recommendations are strong predictors of increased vaccination uptake in the population. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze seasonal influenza vaccination recommendation behavior among pharmacists towards high-risk groups including patients, coworkers, and pharmacists’ family members during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional, questionnaire-based research was conducted in Switzerland during the flu season and sent to all members of the Swiss Pharmacist Association. In December 2020, 569 community pharmacists completed the online survey. The influenza vaccination recommendation rates for high-risk patients were 93.6% for the elderly, 70.7% for pregnant women, 65.2% for immunocompromised people, and 60.3% for patients with chronic diseases. Pharmacists tend to recommend influenza immunization to patients more than to family members and colleagues. Holding a certification to administer immunization and personal influenza vaccine history were the main predictors for recommending influenza vaccination to patients, family members, and colleagues. Our results indicated that influenza vaccination recommendation rates in our whole sample of pharmacists, were higher for vaccinated and immunizing pharmacists. Ensuring high vaccinations rates and high ratio of immunizing pharmacists may be important in promoting seasonal influenza vaccination in the general population.

Pharmacists’ attitudes toward influenza vaccination: does the COVID-19 pandemic make a difference?

“… 40 , 41 As a result, vaccination coverage among the general population may increase, as vaccinated pharmacists are more likely to recommend SIV to their clients or patients. 17 , 42 Similar to that in previous studies, facilitated access to vaccination most likely played a role, as 88.7% of pharmacists were vaccinated in a pharmacy. 38 , 41 , 43 …”

COVID-19 booster vaccination in rural community pharmacies

“…Previous research found significant associations between community pharmacists’ influenza vaccination status and recommending the vaccine, where pharmacists who had been vaccinated themselves were more likely to recommend the flu vaccine to their patients. [10] , [11] , [12] In a survey of rural pharmacists, Carpenter et al reported that 91% of respondents were ready or actively planning to provide the COVID-19 vaccination series, [7] but their attitudes and plans regarding the booster dose are unknown.…”