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Item Adjuvants in COVID-19 vaccines: innocent bystanders or culpable abettors for stirring up COVID-heart syndrome(Sage, 2024-02-04) Kanuri, Sri Harsha; Sirrkay, Prapthi Jayesh; Medicine, School of MedicineCOVID-19 infection is a multi-system clinical disorder that was associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Even though antiviral therapies such as Remdesvir offered modest efficacy in reducing the mortality and morbidity, they were not efficacious in reducing the risk of future infections. So, FDA approved COVID-19 vaccines which are widely administered in the general population worldwide. These COVID-19 vaccines offered a safety net against future infections and re-infections. Most of these vaccines contain inactivated virus or spike protein mRNA that are primarily responsible for inducing innate and adaptive immunity. These vaccines were also formulated to contain supplementary adjuvants that are beneficial in boosting the immune response. During the pandemic, clinicians all over the world witnessed an uprise in the incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (COVID-Heart Syndrome) in patients with and without cardiovascular risk factors. Clinical researchers were not certain about the underlying reason for the upsurge of cardiovascular disorders with some blaming them on COVID-19 infections while others blaming them on COVID-19 vaccines. Based on the literature review, we hypothesize that adjuvants included in the COVID-19 vaccines are the real culprits for causation of cardiovascular disorders. Operation of various pathological signaling events under the influence of these adjuvants including autoimmunity, bystander effect, direct toxicity, anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS), anaphylaxis, hypersensitivity, genetic susceptibility, epitope spreading, and anti-idiotypic antibodies were partially responsible for stirring up the onset of cardiovascular disorders. With these mechanisms in place, a minor contribution from COVID-19 virus itself cannot be ruled out. With that being said, we strongly advocate for careful selection of vaccine adjuvants included in COVID-19 vaccines so that future adverse cardiac disorders can be averted.Item Clinically Suspected Myocarditis Temporally Related to COVID-19 Vaccination in Adolescents and Young Adults: Suspected Myocarditis After COVID-19 Vaccination(AHA, 2022-02) Truong, Dongngan T.; Dionne, Audrey; Muniz, Juan Carlos; McHugh, Kimberly E.; Portman, Michael A.; Lambert, Linda M.; Thacker, Deepika; Elias, Matthew D.; Li, Jennifer S.; Toro-Salazar, Olga H.; Anderson, Brett R.; Atz, Andrew M.; Bohun, C. Monique; Campbell, M. Jay; Chrisant, Maryanne; D’Addese, Laura; Dummer, Kirsten B.; Forsha, Daniel; Frank, Lowell H.; Frosch, Olivia H.; Gelehrter, Sarah K.; Giglia, Therese M.; Hebson, Camden; Jain, Supriya S.; Johnston, Pace; Krishnan, Anita; Lombardi, Kristin C.; McCrindle, Brian W.; Mitchell, Elizabeth C.; Miyata, Koichi; Mizzi, Trent; Parker, Robert M.; Patel, Jyoti K.; Ronai, Christina; Sabati, Arash A.; Schauer, Jenna; Sexson Tejtel, S. Kristen; Shea, J. Ryan; Shekerdemian, Lara S.; Srivastava, Shubhika; Votava-Smith, Jodie K.; White, Sarah; Newburger, Jane W.; Pediatrics, School of MedicineBackground: Understanding the clinical course and short-term outcomes of suspected myocarditis after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination has important public health implications in the decision to vaccinate youth. Methods: We retrospectively collected data on patients <21 years old presenting before July 4, 2021, with suspected myocarditis within 30 days of COVID-19 vaccination. Lake Louise criteria were used for cardiac MRI findings. Myocarditis cases were classified as confirmed or probable on the basis of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definitions. Results: We report on 139 adolescents and young adults with 140 episodes of suspected myocarditis (49 confirmed, 91 probable) at 26 centers. Most patients were male (n=126, 90.6%) and White (n=92, 66.2%); 29 (20.9%) were Hispanic; and the median age was 15.8 years (range, 12.1–20.3; interquartile range [IQR], 14.5–17.0). Suspected myocarditis occurred in 136 patients (97.8%) after the mRNA vaccine, with 131 (94.2%) after the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine; 128 (91.4%) occurred after the second dose. Symptoms started at a median of 2 days (range, 0–22; IQR, 1–3) after vaccination. The most common symptom was chest pain (99.3%). Patients were treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (81.3%), intravenous immunoglobulin (21.6%), glucocorticoids (21.6%), colchicine (7.9%), or no anti-inflammatory therapies (8.6%). Twenty-six patients (18.7%) were in the intensive care unit, 2 were treated with inotropic/vasoactive support, and none required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or died. Median hospital stay was 2 days (range, 0–10; IQR, 2–3). All patients had elevated troponin I (n=111, 8.12 ng/mL; IQR, 3.50–15.90) or T (n=28, 0.61 ng/mL; IQR, 0.25–1.30); 69.8% had abnormal ECGs and arrhythmias (7 with nonsustained ventricular tachycardia); and 18.7% had left ventricular ejection fraction <55% on echocardiogram. Of 97 patients who underwent cardiac MRI at a median 5 days (range, 0–88; IQR, 3–17) from symptom onset, 75 (77.3%) had abnormal findings: 74 (76.3%) had late gadolinium enhancement, 54 (55.7%) had myocardial edema, and 49 (50.5%) met Lake Louise criteria. Among 26 patients with left ventricular ejection fraction <55% on echocardiogram, all with follow-up had normalized function (n=25). Conclusions: Most cases of suspected COVID-19 vaccine myocarditis occurring in persons <21 years have a mild clinical course with rapid resolution of symptoms. Abnormal findings on cardiac MRI were frequent. Future studies should evaluate risk factors, mechanisms, and long-term outcomes.Item COVID-19 vaccination intention and vaccine characteristics influencing vaccination acceptance: a global survey of 17 countries(BMC, 2021-10) Wong, Li Ping; Li Ping, Haridah; Danaee, Mahmoud; Ahmed, Jamil; Lachyan, Abhishek; Cai, Carla Zi; Lin, Yulan; Hu, Zhijian; Tan, Si Ying; Lu, Yixiao; Cai, Guoxi; Nguyen, Di Khanh; Seheli, Farhana Nishat; Alhammadi, Fatma; Madhale, Milkar D.; Atapattu, Muditha; Quazi-Bodhanya, Tasmi; Mohajer, Samira; Zimet, Gregory D.; Zhao, Qinjian; Pediatrics, School of MedicineBACKGROUND: The availability of various types of COVID-19 vaccines and diverse characteristics of the vaccines present a dilemma in vaccination choices, which may result in individuals refusing a particular COVID-19 vaccine offered, hence presenting a threat to immunisation coverage and reaching herd immunity. The study aimed to assess global COVID-19 vaccination intention, vaccine characteristics influencing vaccination acceptance and desirable vaccine characteristics influencing the choice of vaccines. METHODS: An anonymous cross-sectional survey was conducted between 4 January and 5 March 2021 in 17 countries worldwide. Proportions and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and vaccine characteristics influencing vaccination acceptance were generated and compared across countries and regions. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. RESULTS: Of the 19,714 responses received, 90.4% (95% CI 81.8-95.3) reported likely or extremely likely to receive COVID-19 vaccine. A high proportion of likely or extremely likely to receive the COVID-19 vaccine was reported in Australia (96.4%), China (95.3%) and Norway (95.3%), while a high proportion reported being unlikely or extremely unlikely to receive the vaccine in Japan (34.6%), the U.S. (29.4%) and Iran (27.9%). Males, those with a lower educational level and those of older age expressed a higher level of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Less than two-thirds (59.7%; 95% CI 58.4-61.0) reported only being willing to accept a vaccine with an effectiveness of more than 90%, and 74.5% (95% CI 73.4-75.5) said they would accept a COVID-19 vaccine with minor adverse reactions. A total of 21.0% (95% CI 20.0-22.0) reported not accepting an mRNA vaccine and 51.8% (95% CI 50.3-53.1) reported that they would only accept a COVID-19 vaccine from a specific country-of-origin. Countries from the Southeast Asia region reported the highest proportion of not accepting mRNA technology. The highest proportion from Europe and the Americas would only accept a vaccine produced by certain countries. The foremost important vaccine characteristic influencing vaccine choice is adverse reactions (40.6%; 95% CI 39.3-41.9) of a vaccine and effectiveness threshold (35.1%; 95% CI 33.9-36.4). CONCLUSIONS: The inter-regional and individual country disparities in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy highlight the importance of designing an efficient plan for the delivery of interventions dynamically tailored to the local population.Item COVID-19 vaccination intention and vaccine characteristics influencing vaccination acceptance: a global survey of 17 countries(Springer Nature, 2021-10-07) Wong, Li Ping; Alias, Haridah; Danaee, Mahmoud; Ahmed, Jamil; Lachyan, Abhishek; Cai, Carla Zi; Lin, Yulan; Hu, Zhijian; Tan, Si Ying; Lu, Yixiao; Cai, Guoxi; Nguyen, Di Khanh; Seheli, Farhana Nishat; Alhammadi, Fatma; Madhale, Milkar D.; Atapattu, Muditha; Quazi‑Bodhanya, Tasmi; Mohajer, Samira; Zimet, Gregory D.; Zhao, Qinjian; Pediatrics, School of MedicineBackground: The availability of various types of COVID-19 vaccines and diverse characteristics of the vaccines present a dilemma in vaccination choices, which may result in individuals refusing a particular COVID-19 vaccine offered, hence presenting a threat to immunisation coverage and reaching herd immunity. The study aimed to assess global COVID-19 vaccination intention, vaccine characteristics influencing vaccination acceptance and desirable vaccine characteristics influencing the choice of vaccines. Methods: An anonymous cross-sectional survey was conducted between 4 January and 5 March 2021 in 17 countries worldwide. Proportions and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and vaccine characteristics influencing vaccination acceptance were generated and compared across countries and regions. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Results: Of the 19,714 responses received, 90.4% (95% CI 81.8-95.3) reported likely or extremely likely to receive COVID-19 vaccine. A high proportion of likely or extremely likely to receive the COVID-19 vaccine was reported in Australia (96.4%), China (95.3%) and Norway (95.3%), while a high proportion reported being unlikely or extremely unlikely to receive the vaccine in Japan (34.6%), the U.S. (29.4%) and Iran (27.9%). Males, those with a lower educational level and those of older age expressed a higher level of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Less than two-thirds (59.7%; 95% CI 58.4-61.0) reported only being willing to accept a vaccine with an effectiveness of more than 90%, and 74.5% (95% CI 73.4-75.5) said they would accept a COVID-19 vaccine with minor adverse reactions. A total of 21.0% (95% CI 20.0-22.0) reported not accepting an mRNA vaccine and 51.8% (95% CI 50.3-53.1) reported that they would only accept a COVID-19 vaccine from a specific country-of-origin. Countries from the Southeast Asia region reported the highest proportion of not accepting mRNA technology. The highest proportion from Europe and the Americas would only accept a vaccine produced by certain countries. The foremost important vaccine characteristic influencing vaccine choice is adverse reactions (40.6%; 95% CI 39.3-41.9) of a vaccine and effectiveness threshold (35.1%; 95% CI 33.9-36.4). Conclusions: The inter-regional and individual country disparities in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy highlight the importance of designing an efficient plan for the delivery of interventions dynamically tailored to the local population.Item Exploring Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance, Uptake, and Hesitancy in the Pediatric Population: A Study of Parents and Caregivers in Saudi Arabia during the Initial Vaccination Phase(MDPI, 2023-03-29) Alhuzaimi, Abdullah N.; Alrasheed, Abdullah A.; Al-Eyadhy, Ayman; Aljamaan, Fadi; Alhasan, Khalid; Batais, Mohammed A.; Jamal, Amr; Alshahrani, Fatimah S.; Alenezi, Shuliweeh; Alhaboob, Ali; AlZamil, Fahad; Bashumeel, Yaser Y.; Banaeem, Ahmad M.; Aldawood, Abdulrahman; Halwani, Rabih; Barry, Mazin; Al-Tawfiq, Jaffar A.; Temsah, Mohamad-Hani; Medicine, School of MedicineObjectives: This study aims to assess COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, uptake, and hesitancy among parents and caregivers of children in Saudi Arabia during the initial rollout of pediatric COVID-19 vaccination. Methods: An electronic survey was used to collect data from participants who visited a COVID-19 vaccine center. The survey included demographic data, COVID-19 vaccine status among participants and their children, and reasons for vaccine acceptance or rejection. The Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (VHS) tool was also employed to assess vaccine hesitancy and attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine and routine childhood vaccination. Multivariate binary regression analysis was used to identify predictors of actual COVID-19 vaccine uptake among children. Results: Of the 873 respondents included in the analysis, 61.5% were parents and 38.5% were other caregivers. Of the participants, 96.9% had received the COVID-19 vaccine. Six hundred and ninety-four participants accepted the vaccine for their children, with the main reasons being an endorsement by the Saudi Ministry of Health (60%) and the importance of going back to school (55%). One hundred and seventy-nine participants would not vaccinate their children, with the most common reasons being fear of adverse effects (49%) and inadequate data about vaccine safety (48%). Factors such as age, COVID-19 vaccination status, self-rated family commitment level, attitudes toward routine children's vaccines, and participants' generalized anxiety disorder (GAD7) score did not significantly correlate with children's COVID-19 vaccination status. Parents were less likely to vaccinate their children compared to other caregivers, and participants with a higher socioeconomic status were more likely to vaccinate their children. Conclusion: Vaccine acceptance and uptake were high during the initial pediatric COVID-19 vaccination rollout in Saudi Arabia. Still, the ongoing endorsement of the Ministry of Health and healthcare authorities should continue to advocate for better vaccine uptake in children.Item Factors Associated With COVID-19 Non-vaccination in Adolescents Hospitalized Without COVID-19(Oxford University Press, 2023) Sahni, Leila C.; Price, Ashley M.; Olson, Samantha M.; Newhams, Margaret M.; Pannaraj, Pia S.; Maddux, Aline B.; Halasa, Natasha B.; Bline, Katherine E.; Cameron, Melissa A.; Schwartz, Stephanie P.; Walker, Tracie C.; Irby, Katherine; Chiotos, Kathleen; Nofziger, Ryan A.; Mack, Elizabeth H.; Smallcomb, Laura; Bradford, Tamara T.; Kamidani, Satoshi; Tarquinio, Keiko M.; Cvijanovich, Natalie Z.; Schuster, Jennifer E.; Bhumbra, Samina S.; Levy, Emily R.; Hobbs, Charlotte V.; Cullimore, Melissa L.; Coates, Bria M.; Heidemann, Sabrina M.; Gertz, Shira J.; Kong, Michele; Flori, Heidi R.; Staat, Mary A.; Zinter, Matt S.; Hume, Janet R.; Chatani, Brandon M.; Gaspers, Mary G.; Maamari, Mia; Randolph, Adrienne G.; Patel, Manish M.; Boom, Julie A.; Pediatrics, School of MedicineBackground: Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine received emergency use authorization for persons ≥ 16 years in December 2020 and for adolescents 12-15 years in May 2021. Despite the clear benefits and favorable safety profile, vaccine uptake in adolescents has been suboptimal. We sought to assess factors associated with COVID-19 non-vaccination in adolescents 12-18 years of age. Methods: Between June 1, 2021 and April 29, 2022, we assessed factors associated with COVID-19 non-vaccination in hospitalized adolescents ages 12-18 years enrolled in the Overcoming COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness network. Demographic characteristics and clinical information were captured through parent interviews and/or electronic medical record abstraction; COVID-19 vaccination was assessed through documented sources. We assessed associations between receipt of the COVID-19 vaccine and demographic and clinical factors using univariate and multivariable logistic regression and estimated adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for each factor associated with non-vaccination. Results: Among 1665 hospitalized adolescents without COVID-19, 56% were unvaccinated. Unvaccinated adolescents were younger (median age 15.1 years vs. 15.4 years, p < .01) and resided in areas with higher social vulnerability index (SVI) scores (median 0.6 vs 0.5, p < .001) than vaccinated adolescents. Residence in the Midwest [aOR 2.60 (95% CI: 1.80, 3.79)] or South [aOR 2.49 (95% CI: 1.77, 3.54)] US census regions, rarely or never receiving influenza vaccine [aOR 5.31 (95% CI: 3.81, 7.47)], and rarely or never taking precautions against COVID-19 [aOR 3.17 (95% CI: 1.94, 5.31)] were associated with non-vaccination against COVID-19. Conclusions: Efforts to increase COVID-19 vaccination of adolescents should focus on persons with geographic, socioeconomic, and medical risk factors associated with non-vaccination.Item A qualitative study exploring the relationship between mothers' vaccine hesitancy and health beliefs with COVID-19 vaccination intention and prevention during the early pandemic months(Taylor & Francis, 2021) Walker, Kimberly K.; Head, Katharine J.; Owens, Heather; Zimet, Gregory D.; Communication Studies, School of Liberal ArtsVaccine hesitancy is a top ten global health threat that can negatively impact COVID-19 vaccine uptake. It is assumed that vaccine refusers hold deep, negative beliefs, while acceptors hold strong, positive beliefs. However, vaccine hesitancy exists along a continuum and is multidimensional, varying by time, place, vaccine, subgroup, and person. Guided by the Health Belief Model and vaccine hesitancy frameworks, the study purpose was to qualitatively explore maternal COVID-19 threat perceptions and willingness to accept a COVID-19 vaccine in light of their expressed vaccine hesitancy toward past school required and routinely recommended vaccines and the HPV vaccine for their children. Researchers conducted twenty-five interviews with US Midwestern mothers during the early COVID-19 pandemic months. Mothers were grouped by vaccine hesitancy categories and thematic analysis was used to analyze the data within and across categories. Results showed that prior vaccine hesitancy attitudes and behavior did not fully capture maternal acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine or perception of COVID-19 threat. Perceptions of COVID-19 threat did influence mothers' decisions about COVID-19 protective behaviors (e.g., handwashing, mask wearing, and distancing). However, mothers were hesitant to accept the COVID-19 vaccine across vaccine hesitancy categories, primarily citing concerns about safety, efficacy, and confusion over conflicting information as barriers to immediate COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Findings indicate that mothers cannot be grouped together based on hesitancy about, or acceptance of, other vaccines for purposes of assuming COVID-19 preventive behavior adherence or anticipated COVID-19 vaccine acceptance.Item Real-world effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination in liver cirrhosis: a systematic review with meta-analysis of 51,834 patients(Taylor & Francis, 2023-01-17) Beran, Azizullah; Mhanna, Asmaa; Mhanna, Mohammed; Hassouneh, Ramzi; Abuhelwa, Ziad; Mohamed, Mouhand F. H.; Sayeh, Wasef; Musallam, Rami; Assaly, Ragheb; Abdeljawad, Khaled; Medicine, School of MedicineSARS-CoV-2 vaccinations were found to be highly effective in phase 3 clinical trials. However, these trials have not reported data regarding the subgroup of liver disease or excluded patients with liver disease. The effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines among liver cirrhosis (LC) patients is unclear. We conducted this meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in LC patients. A comprehensive literature search was conducted to include all the relevant studies that compared the outcomes of LC patients who received SARS-CoV-2 vaccines vs. unvaccinated patients. Pooled risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by the Mantel-Haenszel method within a random-effect model. Four studies with 51,834 LC patients (20,689 patients received at least one dose vs 31,145 were unvaccinated) were included. COVID-19–related complications, including hospitalization (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.59–0.91, P = 0.004), mortality (RR 0.29, 95% CI 0.16–0.55, P = 0.0001), and need for invasive mechanical ventilation (RR 0.29, 95% CI 0.11–0.77, P = 0.01), were significantly lower in the vaccinated group compared to the unvaccinated group. SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in LC patients reduced COVID-19–related mortality, intubation, and hospitalization. SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is highly effective in LC. Further prospective studies, preferably randomized controlled trials, are necessary to validate our findings and determine which vaccine is superior in patients with LC.Item Safety and Reactogenicity of the ChAdOx1 (AZD1222) COVID-19 Vaccine in Saudi Arabia(Elsevier, 2021-09) Al Bahrani, Salma; Albarrak, Ali; Alghamdi, Othman Ali; Alghamdi, Mesfer Abdullah; Hakami, Fatimah H.; Al Abaadi, Asmaa K.; Alkhrashi, Sausan A.; Alghamdi, Mansour Y.; Almershad, Meshael M.; Alenazi, Mansour Moklif; El Gezery, Mohamed Hany; Jebakumar, Arulanantham Zechariah; Al-Tawfiq, Jaffar A.; Medicine, School of MedicineIntroduction The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was one of the first countries to implement a COVID-19 vaccination program. This study estimated the safety and reactogenicity of the ChAdOx1-S vaccine after the first dose administered to adults. Methods This cross-sectional study included 1592 randomly selected vaccinees from April to May 2021. A questionnaire was delivered to the vaccinees via phone calls 7 and 21 days after the first vaccine dose. Results Of the 1592 vaccinees who had the first dose, the mean age was 37.4 (± 9.6) years and 81% were males. Of all the vaccinees, 553 (34.7%) reported an adverse reaction on the first telephone call. The most common symptoms were: pain at the site of injection (485, 30.5%), musculoskeletal symptoms (438, 27.5%), skin rash (307, 19.2%), gastrointestinal symptoms (379, 23.8%) and fever (498, 31.3%). Men were more likely to report fever (76.9% vs. 23.1%; P = 0.005), skin rash (81.1% vs. 18.9%, P = 0.005) and pain at the injection site (77.3% vs. 22.7%, P < 0.0001). Post-vaccine COVID-19 infection was 0.5% and there were no hospitalizations. Conclusion This study observed no major side effects of the ChAdOx1-S vaccine and no reported breakthrough infection during the observation period.Item SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant: Exploring Healthcare Workers' Awareness and Perception of Vaccine Effectiveness: A National Survey During the First Week of WHO Variant Alert(Frontiers Media, 2022-03-25) Temsah, Mohamad-Hani; Aljamaan, Fadi; Alenezi, Shuliweeh; Alhasan, Khalid; Alrabiaah, Abdulkarim; Assiri, Rasha; Bassrawi, Rolan; Alhaboob, Ali; Alshahrani, Fatimah; Alarabi, Mohammed; Alaraj, Ali; Alharbi, Nasser S.; Halwani, Rabih; Jamal, Amr; Al-Eyadhy, Ayman; AbdulMajeed, Naif; Alfarra, Lina; Almashdali, Wafa; Fayed, Amel; Alzamil, Fahad; Barry, Mazin; Memish, Ziad A.; Al-Tawfiq, Jaffar A.; Alsubaie, Sarah; Medicine, School of MedicineBackground: As the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant spreads in several countries, healthcare workers' (HCWs) perceptions and worries regarding vaccine effectiveness and boosters warrant reassessment. Methods: An online questionnaire among HCWs in Saudi Arabia (KSA) was distributed from Dec 1st-6th 2021 to assess their perceptions, vaccine advocacy to the Omicron variant, and their perception of the effectiveness of infection prevention measures and vaccination to prevent its spread, their Omicron variant related worries in comparison to the other variants, and their agreement with mandatory vaccination in general for adults. Results: Among the 1,285 HCW participants, two-thirds were female, 49.8 % were nurses, 46.4% were physicians, and 50.0% worked in tertiary care hospitals. 66.9% considered vaccination to be the most effective way to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant and future variants. The respondents however perceived social distancing (78.0%), universal masking (77.8%), and avoiding unnecessary travel (71.4%) as slightly superior to vaccination to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants. HCWs aging 55 or older agreed significantly with vaccine ineffectiveness to control Omicron spread, while those who believed in non-pharmacological infection prevention measures agreed significantly with vaccination for that purpose. Male HCWs had a significant agreement with mandatory vaccination of all eligible adult populations. On the other hand, unwilling HCWs to receive the vaccine had strong disagreements with mandatory vaccination. Conclusions: The current study in the first week of Omicron showed that only two-thirds of HCWs felt that vaccination was the best option to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant, indicating the need for further motivation campaigns for vaccination and booster dose. HCWs had a strong belief in infection prevention measures to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants that should be encouraged and augmented.