Health SA. 2026 Jul 7;31:3331. doi: 10.4102/hsag.v31i0.3331. eCollection 2026.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic posed unprecedented global health challenges, necessitating accelerated COVID-19 vaccine development. However, vaccine and booster hesitancy among healthcare workers (HCWs) presented a barrier globally and in South Africa (SA).
AIM: This study aimed to determine the level of vaccine and booster acceptance among HCWs in public, private and public-private sectors in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), SA, and to identify the key reasons of vaccine and booster acceptance and refusal.
SETTING: This study was conducted across KZN.
METHODS: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted from October 2024 to April 2025 among doctors, nurses and pharmacists using an online questionnaire. Three hundred and thirty-one HCWs participated in this study with a reliable and standardised questionnaire. Data analysis included descriptive and inferential statistics. Relevant ethics committees and participants provided ethical approval.
RESULTS: Average vaccine acceptance rate for vaccine and booster was 92.4% (n = 306) and 73.7% (n = 244), respectively. Public-private recorded the highest acceptance rates for vaccine (96.3%) and booster (85.1%). Primary reasons for vaccine refusal included vaccine-related illness in family (52.4%, n = 11) and rapid development and safety concerns (64%, n = 16), predominantly among private sector. Main booster refusal reasons included safety of multiple booster doses (50%, n = 32) and antibodies from previous COVID-19 infection, mostly in the public sector.
CONCLUSION: Addressing complex determinants of vaccine hesitancy across healthcare sectors necessitates an integrated and sustained approach reinforced by multidisciplinary stakeholder engagement.
CONTRIBUTION: This study contributes to future pandemic preparedness and vaccination programmes by elucidating reasons influencing vaccine acceptance and refusal among HCWs.
PMID:42564541 | PMC:PMC13443733 | DOI:10.4102/hsag.v31i0.3331
