Global Health Worker Vaccination Programmes Bolster Pandemic Preparedness

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) has underscored the critical importance of vaccinating health workers (HWs) against a variety of diseases, including hepatitis B, seasonal influenza, and measles. This emphasis comes as countries worldwide report these vaccinations as most common among HWs. The pandemic has notably shifted global focus towards the significance of HW vaccinations, with nations keen on leveraging their COVID-19 vaccination deployment experiences to either establish or enhance national HW vaccination programs.

Collaborative efforts between WHO headquarters, regional and country offices, and ministries of health have led to the documentation of national HW vaccination program examples from Argentina, Mongolia, Oman, Paraguay, and Thailand. These examples have been compiled in a new publication titled "Influenza health worker vaccination programmes: platforms for pandemic preparedness," which explores how countries have utilized HW vaccination for seasonal influenza and other vaccine-preventable diseases to aid in the introduction of COVID-19 vaccines.

The publication identifies several key themes from the five country vignettes. In Argentina, the establishment of a national legal framework for HW vaccination has been instrumental in enabling seasonal influenza vaccination and supporting the introduction of COVID-19 vaccines. Meanwhile, in Mongolia, HWs play a pivotal role in driving seasonal influenza vaccination uptake by communicating its importance and safety to patients, thereby acting as vital proponents of influenza vaccination.

Oman's approach to encouraging seasonal influenza vaccination among HWs involves a voluntary program with a goal of achieving at least 95% coverage among high-risk groups. Non-vaccinated HWs are required to sign a refusal form and are reassigned to noncritical care functions. Additionally, they must use their annual leave instead of sick leave if they contract influenza.

In Paraguay, health institutions ensure vaccine access for all HWs by employing a vaccinator and an immunization program manager responsible for checking vaccination status, promoting vaccine uptake, and providing vaccinations to both day and night shifts. Thailand's success in quickly reaching high coverage rates for COVID-19 vaccination is attributed to its use of existing influenza vaccine management strategies and structures.

This comprehensive documentation not only sheds light on the structure, motivations, and value of HW vaccination programs but also offers insights into how these initiatives can support pandemic preparedness. By examining these varied approaches, countries can learn from one another's experiences in developing or strengthening their own national HW vaccination programs.

References:

• Summary of WHO position papers on immunization of health care workers (https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/table-4-who-recommendations-for-routine-immunization).
• National vaccination policies for health workers – a cross-sectional global overview by Young S, Goldin S, Dumolard L, Shendale S, McMurren B, Maltezou HC et al., published in Vaccine (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37321897/).