(P-423) Safety of COVID-19 Vaccine: Knowledge of Staff at a Medical College in Western Nepal

Background: Medical and non-medical staff in healthcare institutions viewed as opinion leaders by public are at increased risk of contracting coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). Understanding health workers’ perception on vaccine safety can enable governments to institute appropriate early strategies to improve vaccination rates among public.

Objectives: Study knowledge of healthcare staff and others working at a medical college and its associated hospital regarding COVID-19 vaccine and associated safety issues.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive questionnaire-based study was conducted among 266 staff (stratified according to job category and gender) at Pokhara, Nepal, during January-February 2021. The questionnaire was constructed referring to published literature and content validated using expert review and pilot tested among 30 respondents (10% of calculated sample) with a Cronbach alpha of 0.76. Responses were obtained either using an online or printed questionnaire. The questionnaire had three sections (26 questions); section 1: demographics (seven parameters), section 2: experiences and perception of COVID 19 (five questions) and section 3: vaccine safety (14 questions). As total score was not normally distributed (one sample K-S test), non-parametric tests (Mann- Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis) were used for analysis (p < 0.05).

Results: Altogether, 190 females and 76 males responded. Respondents either ‘extremely concerned’ or ‘quite concerned’ about them or their family members contracting COVID-19 were 48 (55.6%). Of the respondents, 159 (59.7%) considered themselves to be at increased risk of contracting COVID-19 due to increased contact with public and patients. Nearly 83% (n=220) of respondents perceived pandemic as being ‘moderate or severe’ and only 102 respondents (38.3%) were willing to be vaccinated. The most common reason for refusal was concern about vaccine safety. The median (IQR) total knowledge score was 36 (4); maximum possible score was 55. The scores were significantly higher among males (p=0.003), those with a higher monthly income (p=0.007), individuals with postgraduate education (p=0.006), and among certain categories of staff (p=0.016). It was also significantly higher among those whose family had been diagnosed COVID positive (p=0.037), those who perceived pandemic as being moderate or severe (p=0.042) and those willing to be vaccinated (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: Most respondents were concerned about risk of COVID 19 to themselves and their family members. Making more information available on safety and strengthening preparedness for handling potential adverse drug reactions can help improving vaccination rates.