Intention and hesitancy to receive a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine among pregnant women using a health belief model: A cross-sectional study

Objective:To examine the pattern of COVID-19 infection and vaccination,and to explore pregnant women’s willingness and reluctance to accept a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.Methods:This was a cross-sectional,descriptive study with a convenient sample size using a structured questionnaire among pregnant women attending the gynecology and obstetrics department at Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar Hospital,Istanbul,Türkiye.The Health Belief Model scale was used to assess the intention and reluctance to accept a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.Results:A total of 145 participants,with a mean age of(33.5±4.8)years,and a gestational age of(30.9±7.3)weeks,were enrolled in this study.88.8%Received full doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination.47.8%Participants suffered from vaccine adverse effects.Health Belief Model demonstrated a significant finding of perceived susceptibility(P<0.001),perceived severity of COVID-19 complications(P<0.001),and perceived benefits regarding a booster COVID-19 vaccination(P<0.001).Conclusions:Most pregnant women who received the COVID-19 immunization express a significant intention to receive a booster dose,regardless of the adverse effects experienced from the previous doses.However,a small percentage of the study sample express hesitancy about receiving the booster dose.

Dynamic Humoral Immune Response to Primary and Booster Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Patients with Cirrhosis

Background and Aims:Our aim was to determine the immune efficacy of a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2(SARS-CoV-2)booster vaccination in cirrhotic patients who had received the primary series.Methods:We performed a longitudinal assessment in 48 patients with cirrhosis,57 patients with chronic hepatitis B(CHB)and 68 healthy controls(HCs)to continuously track the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies and memory B cells after receiving the primary series and booster dose at different times.A pseudovirus neutralization assay was used to determine neutralization against Omicron subvariants BA.2.12.1,BA.4 and BA.5 from serum samples collected from three cohorts.Results:Serum anti-receptor-binding domain(RBD)immunoglobulin(Ig)G and neutralizing antibody(NAb)levels in cirrhotic patients were elevated within 15–45 days after completing the primary series before rapidly declining and reaching a valley at around 165–195 days.After receiving the booster dose,both antibody levels were significantly increased to levels comparable to patients with CHB and HCs.Subgroup analysis showed that booster vaccination induced weaker antibody responses in patients with decompensated cirrhosis than in those with compensated cirrhosis.The SARS-CoV-2 memory B-cell response in cirrhotic patients was durable during follow-up regardless of the hepatic fibrocirrhosis grade.However,compared with the primary series,the booster dose did not result in an evident improvement of neutralization activity against the Omicron subvariants BA.2.12.1 and BA.4,and was followed by a significant decrease in the titer against BA.5.Conclusions:A booster dose elicited a robust and durable humoral response to the wild-type strain in cirrhotic patients but not the Omicron subvariants.Repeated vaccination of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine may not benefit cirrhotic patients in neutralization against newly circulating strains.

A review of SARS-CoV-2 variants and vaccines:Viral properties,mutations,vaccine efficacy,and safety

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease 2 instigated by coronavirus disease of 2019(COVID-19)has delivered an unfathomable obstruction that has touched all sectors worldwide.Despite new vaccine tech-nologies and mass administration of booster doses,the virus persists,and unknown the ending of the pandemic for new variants and sub-variants.Moreover,whether leaning on home medications or using plant extracts is suf-ficient often to combat the virus has generated tremendous interest in the scientific fraternity.Different databases including PubMed,Scopus,Web of Science,and Google Scholar used to find published articles linked with related topics.Currently,COVID-19 third and fourth shots of vaccines are progressively administered worldwide,where some countries trail others by a significant margin.Many proteins related to viral activity have changed,possibly boosting the virus infectivity and making antibodies ineffective.This study will reminisce the viral genome,as-sociated pathways for viral protein functions,variants,and their mutations.The current,comprehensive review will also provide information on vaccine technologies developed by several biotech companies and the efficacy of their doses,costs including boosters on a mass level.As no vaccine is working to protect fully against all the variants,the new proactive vaccine research needs to be conducted based on all variants,their sub-lineage,and mutations.

Impact of rotavirus vaccine implementation on Israeli children:a comparison between pre-and post-vaccination era

Background Worldwide rotavirus vaccination has resulted in a substantial decrease in rotavirus-induced severe gastroenteritis and related hospitalizations among children.Still,the characterization of patients warranting hospitalization needs to be further elucidated.The purpose of the study is to compare the clinical and laboratory features of children hospitalized with acute rotavirus infection before and after the introduction of routine vaccination.Methods This is a retrospective observational study.Participants were pediatric patients who presented to the Bnai Zion Medical Center pediatric emergency department and were diagnosed with rotavirus acute gastroenteritis between 2017 and 2019.Results During the pre-vaccination period(2007–2009),114 infants and young children(median age:14 months,range:1–72 months;59 male,55 female)were hospitalized for rotavirus-induced acute gastroenteritis with a rate of 11.71 positive rotavirus tests per 1000 emergency room visits.In the post-vaccination period(2012–2019),168 infants and young children(median age:17 months,range:0–84 months;90 male,78 female)were hospitalized with a rate of 4.18 positive rotavirus tests per 1000 emergency room visits.There were no statistical differences between the two groups in gender,breast-feeding rates and sibling(s).The proportion of cases with moderate-to-severe dehydration was higher in the post-vaccination children than in the pre-vaccination children.Conclusions Rates of rotavirus-attributed acute gastroenteritis hospitalizations declined from the pre-to the post-vaccination period.Higher rates of dehydration were found in the post-vaccination children.Ongoing surveillance is warranted to better understand the implications of the vaccine.

Projections of the transmission of the Omicron variant for Toronto,Ontario,and Canada using surveillance data following recent changes in testing policies

At the end of 2021,with the rapid escalation of COVID19 cases due to the Omicron variant,testing centers in Canada were overwhelmed.To alleviate the pressure on the PCR testing capacity,many provinces implemented new strategies that promote self testing and adjust the eligibility for PCR tests,making the count of new cases underreported.We designed a novel compartmental model which captures the new testing guidelines,social behaviours,booster vaccines campaign and features of the newest variant Omicron.To better describe the testing eligibility,we considered the population divided into high risk and non-highrisk settings.The model is calibrated using data from January 1 to February 9,2022,on cases and severe outcomes in Canada,the province of Ontario and City of Toronto.We conduct analyses on the impact of PCR testing capacity,self testing,different levels of reopening and vaccination coverage on cases and severe outcomes.Our results show that the total number of cases in Canada,Ontario and Toronto are 2.34(95%CI:1.22e3.38),2.20(95%CI:1.15e3.72),and 1.97(95%CI:1.13e3.41),times larger than reported cases,respectively.The current testing strategy is efficient if partial restrictions,such as limited capacity in public spaces,are implemented.Allowing more people to have access to PCR reduces the daily cases and severe outcomes;however,if PCR test capacity is insufficient,then it is important to promote self testing.Also,we found that reopening to a pre-pandemic level will lead to a resurgence of the infections,peaking in late March or April 2022.Vaccination and adherence to isolation protocols are important supports to the testing policies to mitigate any possible spread of the virus.