Acceptance or rejection of vaccination against influenza and SARS-CoV2 viruses among primary care professionals in Central Catalonia. A cross-sectional study

Background: With the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the uncertainty about the real impact of coinfection with other viruses, and the increased risk of mortality in the case of coinfection with the influenza virus, health authorities recommended an increase in influenza vaccination coverage among at-risk groups to minimize the possible impact on individuals and the healthcare system. Recommendations for influenza vaccination during the 2020–2021 campaign in Catalonia were focused on increasing vaccination coverage, especially for social and healthcare workers, elderly people and at-risk individuals of any age. The objectives for the 2020–2021 season in Catalonia were to reach 75 % for the elderly and for social and healthcare workers, and 60 % for pregnant women and at-risk groups. In the case of healthcare professionals and those over 65 years of age, the target was not met. Vaccination coverage reached 65.58 % and 66.44 %, respectively (in the 2019–2020 campaign it was 39.08 %).Analysing and following up on the background and context in which health professionals accept influenza vaccination will help develop strategies for long-term influenza vaccination campaigns. The present study looks at healthcare professionals in a specific territory where the reasons for acceptance or refusal of the influenza vaccine during the 2021–2022 vaccination campaign, as well as the reasons for acceptance or refusal of the COVID-19 vaccine, were analysed by means of an online survey. Methods: Calculations suggested that a random sample of 290 individuals would be sufficient to estimate, with 95% confidence and a precision of +/- 5 percentage units, a population percentage that was expected to be around 30%. The required replacement rate was 10%.The R statistical software (version 3.6.3) was used for the statistical analysis. Confidence intervals were 95 % and contrasts with a p-value of