COVID-19 and flu vaccination in Romania, post pandemic lessons in healthcare workers and general population

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 19; no. 3; p. e0299568
• Main Authors: Malița, Mădălina Adriana, Manolescu, Loredana Sabina Cornelia, Perieanu, Viorel Ștefan, Babiuc, Iuliana, Marcov, Elena Cristina, Ionescu, Camelia, Beuran, Irina Adriana, Prasacu, Irina, Perieanu, Mădălina Violeta, Voinescu, Ioana, Radu, Mihaela Corina, Burlibasa, Liliana, Dumitrescu, Anca Irina, Burlibasa, Mihai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 07-03-2024; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Analysis; Biology and Life Sciences; Child; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 Vaccines; Cross-Sectional Studies; Demographic aspects; Epidemics; Forecasts and trends; Health aspects; Health Personnel; Humans; Influenza; Influenza Vaccines; Influenza, Human - epidemiology; Influenza, Human - prevention & control; Medical colleges; Medical personnel; Medicine and Health Sciences; Middle Aged; Pandemics - prevention & control; People and Places; Public health; Public opinion; Romania; Romania - epidemiology; Surveys; Vaccination; Workers; Young Adult; Romania
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299568

Influenza and corona viruses generate vaccine preventable diseases and have pandemic potential, frequently dramatic. A co-infection with these viruses, may be a new worldwide threat, researchers name it flurona. The aim of our study is to assess flu and COVID-19 Romanian vaccination for 2022-2023 season and the factor associated with higher odds to receive flu and COVID-19 vaccine.
An analytical cross-sectional observational survey was conducted in the general population; a self-administered questionnaire was used.
1056 responders were analyzed, mean age 32.08 ±13.36 years (limits:18-76), majority, 880 (83.33%), from urban areas, 608 (57.58%), high school graduated, 400 (37.88%) parents. More than half of the responders were healthcare workers, 582 (55.11%), also considered study population. In the study group, 796 (73.37%) responders consider flurona vaccination useful; and 872 (82.57%) responders consider that no sanctions are needed for not flurona vaccinating. In the 2022-2023 season, 162 (15.34%) responders vaccinated against the flu and 300 (28.41%) against COVID-19. The factor associated with higher odds to receive flu and COVID-19 vaccine was the habit of flu vaccination: for flu (OR = 58.43; 95% CI: (34.95-97.67)) and for COVID-19 (OR = 1.67; 95% CI: (1.21-2.31)). Other factors such as having university degree (OR = 1.46; 95% CI: (1.08-1.98)) and being a healthcare worker, (OR = 1.41; 95% CI: (1.07-1.87)) were influencing factors only for adult COVID-19 vaccination in the 2022-2023 season. In the parents' group, in 2022-2023 season, only 48 (12%) vaccinated their children against the flu and 68 (17%) against COVID-19, mostly parents that vaccinated themselves, p<0.001. In the 2022-2023 season, there were only 82 (7.65%) responders vaccinated against both diseases. Logistic regression analysis showed that no factor analyzed influenced the flurona vaccinated parent's decision to vaccinate their children for flu and for COVID-19.
In the season 2022-2023, in Romania, the vaccination against flu and COVOD-19 is low, in adults and children as well. More efforts must be done to increase flurona vaccination, public health educational programs are strongly needed. Children, that are at greater risk when co-infecting with these viruses, must be vaccinated, school vaccination programs should be considered.