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Background: COVID-19 vaccines were key to controlling the pandemic and vaccination has been discussed extensively by the media and the public since 2020. We aimed to explore parents' attitudes towards routine childhood vaccination since COVID-19 and how the pandemic impacted their experiences of getting their child vaccinated. Methods: We used a mixed-methods approach—involving a questionnaire survey followed by focus groups. We partnered with The Mosaic Community Trust, an ethnic minority women's group based in a deprived area of North-West London, United Kingdom (UK) with historically low childhood vaccine uptake. Descriptive findings from the questionnaires were reported and chi-square analyses performed to examine differences by ethnicity. Thematic analysis of the free-text questionnaire responses and focus groups was undertaken, guided by the COM-B model of Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation. Results: Between Jun-Oct 2022, 518 parents completed the questionnaire (25% from ethnic minorities). Between March-May 2023 we held four focus groups with 22 parents (45% from ethnic minorities). Most parents (>90%) thought routine childhood vaccines for children were important. Over a third (38%) of all parents reported having more questions about childhood vaccines since COVID-19, though among parents belonging to an ethnicity group other than white, 59% said they had more questions compared to those of any white ethnicity group (30%, (p = <0.0001)). Difficulties accessing vaccine appointments were commoner reasons for children's vaccinations being delayed than parents increased concerns about vaccines. Since COVID-19 some parents felt vaccinations were even more important, and a very small minority felt the pandemic had made them mistrust vaccinations. Conclusion: Following COVID-19, we found parents remain confident in childhood vaccines. However, some parents, particularly from ethnic minority groups may have more questions about childhood vaccines than pre-pandemic. Post COVID-19, to address declining vaccine uptake, parents need easy access to healthcare professionals to answer questions about childhood vaccinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pregnant women are at increased risk from influenza, yet maternal influenza vaccination levels remain suboptimal. Aim: To estimate associations between sociodemographic and health characteristics and seasonal influenza vaccination uptake among pregnant women, and to understand trends over time to inform interventions to improve vaccine coverage. Design and setting: Retrospective cohort study using linked electronic health records of women in North West London with a pregnancy overlapping an influenza season between September 2010 and February 2020. Method: A multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression model was used to identify associations between characteristics of interest and the primary outcome of influenza vaccination. Results: In total, 451 954 pregnancies, among 260 744 women, were included. In 85 376 (18.9%) pregnancies women were vaccinated against seasonal influenza. Uptake increased from 8.4% in 2010/11 to 26.4% in 2017/18, dropping again to 21.1% in 2019/20. Uptake was lowest among women aged 15–19 years (11.9%; reference category) or ≥40 years (15.2%; odds ratio [OR] 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.10 to 1.24); of Black (14.1%; OR 0.55, 95% CI = 0.53 to 0.57) or unknown ethnicity (9.9%; OR 0.42, 95% CI = 0.39 to 0.46); who lived in more deprived areas (OR least versus most deprived [reference category] 1.16, 95% CI = 1.11 to 1.21); or with no known risk factors for severe influenza. Conclusion: Seasonal influenza vaccine uptake in pregnant women increased in the decade before the COVID-19 pandemic, but remained suboptimal. Targeted approaches are recommended to reducing inequalities in access to vaccination and should focus on women of Black ethnicity, younger and older women, and women living in deprived areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine demographic and clinical characteristics associated with uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among pregnant women, and quantify the relationship between vaccine uptake and admission to hospital for COVID-19., Background: Pregnant women are at increased risk of severe adverse outcomes from COVID-19. Since April 2021, COVID-19 vaccines were recommended for pregnant women in the UK. Despite this, evidence shows vaccine uptake is low. However, this evidence has been based only on women admitted to hospital, or on qualitative or survey-based studies., Methods: Retrospective cohort study including all pregnancies ending between 18 June 2021 and 22 August 2022, among adult women registered with a Northwest London general practice. Statistical analyses were mixed-effects multiple logistic regression models. We conducted a nested case-control analysis to quantify the relationship between vaccine uptake by end of pregnancy and hospitalisation for COVID-19 during pregnancy., Results: Our study included 47,046 pregnancies among 39,213 women. In 26,724 (57%) pregnancies, women had at least one dose of vaccine by the end of pregnancy. Uptake was lowest in pregnant women aged 18-24 (33%; reference group), Black women compared with White (37%; OR 0.55, 95% CI: 0.51 to 0.60), and women in more deprived areas (50%; reference group). Women with chronic conditions were more likely to receive the vaccine than women without (Asthma OR 1.21, 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.29). Patterns were similar for the second dose. Women admitted to hospital were much less likely to be vaccinated (22%) than those not admitted (57%, OR 0.22, 95% CI: 0.15 to 0.31)., Conclusions: Women who received the COVID-19 vaccine were less likely to be hospitalised for COVID-19 during pregnancy. COVID-19 vaccine uptake among pregnant women is suboptimal, particularly in younger women, Black women, and women in more deprived areas. Interventions should focus on increasing uptake in these groups to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Paul Aylin reports financial support was provided by NIHR Patient Safety Translational Research Centre. Sonia Saxena reports financial support was provided by NIHR School for Public Health Research. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)