Abstract
Background: Effective vaccination plays a crucial role in lowering disease rates, saving
lives, and controlling the spread of infectious pandemics. Although immunization strategies
are well-established and generally regarded as safe, and vaccination technology continues to
improve, some healthcare workers (HCWs) viewed vaccines as unsafe during the COVID-19
pandemic. They cited worries about vaccine safety, potential side effects, and the speed at
which the vaccines were developed as key factors behind their hesitation.
Overall study aim: The study’s goal was to evaluate the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine
among HCWs after the extended period of COVID-19 immunisation campaign in 2022 at
two private hospitals in Limpopo Province in order to identify the factors that affect the
vaccine uptake.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess COVID-19 vaccine uptake
among HCWs and to examine the factors that influenced their decision to accept or reject the
vaccine. Using a simple random sampling method, 292 participants were enrolled. Data
collection was performed with a structured, self-administered questionnaire, and the resulting
data were analysed through frequency distributions, descriptive statistics, and multiple
logistic regression.
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Results: The majority of respondents were female (84.2%), aged between 18 and 60, and
predominantly permanent employees (81.2%), with most working as nurses (73.7%) and
living in rural areas (45.9%). Study findings revealed a high COVID-19 vaccine acceptance
rate 93.8% leaving 6.2% who opted out. Those who declined cited concerns about potential
side effects, the relatively short clinical trial period, the novel technologies used in vaccine
development, and doubts about the vaccine’s effectiveness. Statistically significant factors
influencing vaccination uptake included the respondents’ residential area, their sources of
information, their current employment status, and whether they received occupational health
and safety information before being vaccinated.
Conclusion: Enhancing vaccine uptake among HCWs hinges on implementing dedicated
training programs that dismantle misconceptions and stress the importance of vaccination
across both public and private sectors. To effectively address the reasons some HCWs refuse
the COVID-19 vaccine, it’s essential to engage with them more directly, exploring their fears,
anxieties, and motivations. This study sheds light on the specific factors that influenced
COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among healthcare workers within South Africa’s private
healthcare system.