Attitudes and Beliefs on Influenza Vaccination during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results from a Representative Italian Survey
Alexander Domnich,
Maura Cambiaggi,
Alessandro Vasco,
Luca Maraniello,
Filippo Ansaldi,
Vincenzo Baldo,
Paolo Bonanni,
Giovanna Elisa Calabrò,
Claudio Costantino,
Chiara de Waure,
Giovanni Gabutti,
Vincenzo Restivo,
Caterina Rizzo,
Francesco Vitale,
Riccardo Grassi
Affiliations
Alexander Domnich
Seqirus S.R.L., 53035 Monteriggioni, Italy
Maura Cambiaggi
Seqirus S.R.L., 53035 Monteriggioni, Italy
Alessandro Vasco
Seqirus S.R.L., 53035 Monteriggioni, Italy
Luca Maraniello
SWG S.p.A., 34133 Trieste, Italy
Filippo Ansaldi
Azienda Ligure Sanitaria, 16121 Genoa, Italy
Vincenzo Baldo
Department of Cardiac Thoracic Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Public Health Section, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy
Paolo Bonanni
Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy
Giovanna Elisa Calabrò
Section of Hygiene, University Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
Claudio Costantino
Section of Hygiene, Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Maternal and Infantile Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties “G. D’Alessandro”, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
Chiara de Waure
Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
Giovanni Gabutti
Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Vincenzo Restivo
Section of Hygiene, Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Maternal and Infantile Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties “G. D’Alessandro”, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
Caterina Rizzo
Predictive and Preventive Medicine Research Unit, Multifactorial and Complex Disease Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
Francesco Vitale
Section of Hygiene, Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Maternal and Infantile Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties “G. D’Alessandro”, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
The last 2019/20 northern hemisphere influenza season overlapped with the first wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Italy was the first western country where severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spread to a significant extent. In this representative cross-sectional survey, we aimed to describe some opinions and attitudes of the Italian general population towards both influenza vaccination and the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify potential modifiers of the decision-making process regarding the uptake of the 2020/21 influenza vaccine. A total of 2543 responses were analyzed. Although most (74.8%) participants valued influenza vaccination positively and declared that it should be mandatory, some misconceptions around influenza persist. The general practitioner was the main source of trusted information on influenza vaccines, while social networks were judged to be the least reliable. Younger and less affluent individuals, subjects not vaccinated in the previous season, and those living in smaller communities showed lower odds of receiving the 2020/21 season influenza vaccination. However, the COVID-19 pandemic may have positively influenced the propensity of being vaccinated against 2020/21 seasonal influenza. In order to increase influenza vaccination coverage rates multidisciplinary targeted interventions are needed. The role of general practitioners remains crucial in increasing influenza vaccine awareness and acceptance by effective counselling.
