Figures obtained for the period 2023-2024 showed influenza ‘vaccination’ rates have also seen a sharp decline.
UK health care workers (HCW) are choosing not to get boosted for COVID in increasing numbers.
From a high of 91% for the first dose of novel mRNA gene therapy for COVID in 2021, the figure has plummeted to 30.6% for the 2023/24 booster.
The influenza jab rate for HCWs had fallen from 74.3% in winter 2019/20 to 43.1% for the 2023/24 season.
Figures compiled by the UK Health Agency and shared online showed support staff were more likely to refuse boosters, with 73.4% choosing not to, while 60% of doctors passed up the opportunity. In Scotland just 20.1 % of social care workers and 35% of frontline HCWs got their 2023/24 booster.
70% of NHS frontline healthcare workers in England REFUSED the COVID-19 Booster vaccine
600,000 of the 860,000 eligible NHS staff declined the offer of the 2023/24 winter booster
Anti-vaxxers!
I hope they are also refusing to vaccine others🚫
Source: UK Health Security Agency pic.twitter.com/ZXr1WDQm6S
— Rustler (@TheRustler83) February 25, 2024
🚨🏴 Influenza vaccine refusal rates amongst NHS England frontline healthcare workers
2019/20 vaccine
25.7% declined2020/21 vaccine
23.5% declined2021/22 vaccine
39.5% declined2022/23 vaccine
51.1% declined2023/24 vaccine
56.9% declined2/https://t.co/xRD28TOUi4 pic.twitter.com/EVHDvhG0CQ
— Rustler (@TheRustler83) February 25, 2024
I wonder how these numbers compare in New Zealand? I guess if around 70 percent of NZ Health workers refuse the boosters, then their patients should not be stopped from receiving appropriate, timely care based on vaccination status?
Let’s see what the NZL uptake of the Flu vaccine is in 2024. This will be a good indicator of how the NZL public respond to the next call to action on ‘all things vaccine’.