Covid-19 Vaccination Among Paramedics: Uptake and Motivation

Covid-19 vaccination among paramedics: uptake and motivation

Introduction: The pre-hospital emergency care environment significantly exposes paramedics to communicable diseases such as COVID-19. Vaccination prevents infection and reduces transmission thereby protecting paramedics and their patients, while also supporting the integrity of the emergency medical system by mitigating infection-related absenteeism. The attitudes of paramedics toward vaccination is poorly understood. Identifying determinants of vaccine acceptance and refusal could help strengthen campaigns aimed at promoting vaccination among paramedics. 

Methods: The Corporation d’urgences-santé is uniquely positioned to advance research on the vaccination of paramedics given that it is one of the largest employers of paramedics in Canada and serviced the national epicentre during the initial waves of the pandemic. Through vaccination data analysis and the creation of an online survey, the study investigated two aspects of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination among paramedics: 1) uptake of the first and second dose over a 52-week period, and 2) demographic and primary motivating factors associated with early vaccination decisions. 

Results: In our cohort of 1,041 paramedics, 973 received the first dose of the vaccine (93.5%) and 68 refused vaccination (6.5%). Among the 973 paramedics who received the first dose, 954 subsequently received the second dose (98%). Among 203 paramedics who responded to the survey, 169 (83.2%) reported receiving the first dose as soon as possible, the majority citing self-protection as the primary motivating factor for rapid acceptance (58.6%); 31 respondents (15.3%) reported receiving the first dose but waiting to do so, the majority citing concerns about safety and/or efficacy as the primary motivating factor for hesitation (45.2%); and three respondents (1.5%) refused vaccination. When vaccinated participants (N=200) were asked if they intended to receive subsequent doses, 32.5% responded “yes” while 9.5% responded “yes” conditional on the vaccine being administered internally. 

Conclusion: Vaccine uptake was higher in our cohort of paramedics compared to rates reported in the United States (70% to 84% uptake). Primary motivating factors for rapid acceptance imply that concern over infection was high among paramedics serving Montreal at the onset of the pandemic. We recommend future vaccination campaigns focus on elucidating safety and efficacy data and offer in-house clinics to promote acceptance by at-risk paramedics.