Covid-19 Vaccine Participation in an Academic Institution With Multiple Clinics Across a Diverse Metropolitan Area

Purpose/objective(s) Covid-19 has been a challenge for many radiation oncology clinics across the country. Patients have not been seeking care due to fear of contracting the illness. In an effort to allay patient's fears, our institution has been at the forefront of the Covid-19 vaccine. With a diverse staff in seven radiation oncology clinics across a large metropolitan area, we wanted to know what the level of participation was and what the barriers to vaccination were. Materials/methods A short survey was designed and sent to the staff who work in the seven radiation oncology clinics for a total of 460 recipients. The survey asked if you had received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. If the answer was no then a list of potential reasons were listed to determine what barriers may exist. Surveys were anonymous with the exception of where the respondent works. Results Of 460 recipients of the survey, we received 181 responses. 81% of respondents had received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. Of the 34 respondents who had not received the vaccine yet the top three most common reasons were 1) Lack of access, 2) Lack of trust in the vaccine, and 3) Felt like the vaccine was developed too quickly to be safe. Of the seven centers, we received responses from each center. The centers in the more affluent areas had the fewest staff members who had not received the vaccine. During the course of the survey, we received emails from several staff members who wanted to receive the vaccine but did not currently qualify due to their specific job or age. Those staff members who are employed by the university rather than the hospital and were under 65 did not immediately qualify for the vaccine. Conclusion We found an issue with vaccine distribution within our specific healthcare system that will need further investigation. We also determined that there is an opportunity for more education regarding the safety and efficacy of the vaccine for staff members who have a lack of trust in the vaccine and the process by which it was made. Further study is warranted on this topic to determine how to improve the vaccine rates within diverse radiation oncology departments in an academic institution.