COVID-19 Vaccines: Fear of Side Effects among German Health Care Workers
Christopher Holzmann-Littig,
Tamara Frank,
Christoph Schmaderer,
Matthias C. Braunisch,
Lutz Renders,
Peter Kranke,
Maria Popp,
Christian Seeber,
Falk Fichtner,
Bianca Littig,
Javier Carbajo-Lozoya,
Joerg J. Meerpohl,
Bernhard Haller,
Christine Allwang,
on behalf of the CEOsys Consortium
Affiliations
Christopher Holzmann-Littig
Department of Nephrology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, 81675 Munich, Germany
Tamara Frank
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, 81675 Munich, Germany
Christoph Schmaderer
Department of Nephrology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, 81675 Munich, Germany
Matthias C. Braunisch
Department of Nephrology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, 81675 Munich, Germany
Lutz Renders
Department of Nephrology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, 81675 Munich, Germany
Peter Kranke
Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care, Emergency Medicine and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Wuerzburg, 97080 Wuerzburg, Germany
Maria Popp
Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care, Emergency Medicine and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Wuerzburg, 97080 Wuerzburg, Germany
Christian Seeber
Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, University Hospital Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
Falk Fichtner
Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, University Hospital Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
Bianca Littig
Department of Nephrology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, 81675 Munich, Germany
Javier Carbajo-Lozoya
Department of Nephrology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, 81675 Munich, Germany
Joerg J. Meerpohl
Medical Center & Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Evidence in Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
Bernhard Haller
Institute of AI and Informatics in Medicine, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, 81675 Munich, Germany
Christine Allwang
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, 81675 Munich, Germany
(1) Background: Health care workers (HCWs) play a key role in increasing anti-COVID vaccination rates. Fear of potential side effects is one of the main reasons for vaccine hesitancy. We investigated which side effects are of concern to HCWs and how these are associated with vaccine hesitancy. (2) Methods: Data were collected in an online survey in February 2021 among HCWs from across Germany with 4500 included participants. Free-text comments on previously experienced vaccination side effects, and fear of short- and long-term side effects of the COVID-19 vaccination were categorized and analyzed. (3) Results: Most feared short-term side effects were vaccination reactions, allergic reactions, and limitations in daily life. Most feared long-term side effects were (auto-) immune reactions, neurological side effects, and currently unknown long-term consequences. Concerns about serious vaccination side effects were associated with vaccination refusal. There was a clear association between refusal of COVID-19 vaccination in one’s personal environment and fear of side effects. (4) Conclusions: Transparent information about vaccine side effects is needed, especially for HCW. Especially when the participants’ acquaintances advised against vaccination, they were significantly more likely to fear side effects. Thus, further education of HCW is necessary to achieve good information transfer in clusters as well.
