According to a new study by a researcher from the National Public Health Organization in Athens, Greek healthcare personnel (HCP) with low vaccine uptake were more likely to miss work due to COVID-19 compared to influenza in 2022 and 2023. The study, published in the American Journal of Infection Control, collected data from four hospitals from November 2022 to May 2023 and tested symptomatic HCP for COVID-19 and flu to estimate missed workdays by disease type. During this time, the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 was predominant.
The study revealed that only 9.2% of HCP were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while 90.8% were partially vaccinated. In contrast, only 23.1% of HCP were vaccinated against the flu. HCP with the flu were less likely to be current with the flu vaccine compared to unvaccinated workers with COVID-19. The data showed that there were 4,245 missed workdays associated with COVID-19, while only 333 were linked to the flu.
Of the 5,752 HCP studied, 734 cases of COVID-19 and 93 cases of the flu were detected. Two COVID-infected HCP were hospitalized for 4 and 5 days, respectively, with an average of 5.8 workdays missed for COVID-19 and 3.6 for the flu. On average, HCP with COVID-19 were absent for 1.91 more days than those with the flu.
The researchers noted that differences in absenteeism policies, the severity of the diseases, and the specific influenza strain could have contributed to the variation in workdays missed. However, they emphasized that getting vaccinated against both COVID-19 and influenza is crucial in protecting the health of HCP and ensuring healthcare services are not disrupted due to absenteeism.
The study highlights how important it is for healthcare providers to prioritize their own health during these challenging times by getting vaccinated against preventable diseases like COVID-19 and influenza. It also underscores how essential it is for employers to provide clear policies on sick leave and encourage employees to take care of themselves while continuing their duties as necessary.
Overall, this research provides valuable insights into how low vaccine uptake can affect healthcare workers’ productivity during a pandemic or epidemic outbreaks such as those caused by COVID-19 or influenza A(H3N2). By increasing awareness about vaccine effectiveness and implementing effective policies on sick leave or absenteeism management within healthcare organizations can help mitigate these negative effects on staffing levels and ultimately improve patient care outcomes during difficult times when resources may be stretched thin.
