Abstract The delay or refusal of vaccination, which defines vaccine hesitancy, is a major challenge to successful control of COVID-19 epidemic. The huge number of publications addressing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy necessitates periodic review to provide a concise summary of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates worldwide. In the current narrative review, data on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates were retrieved from surveys in 114 countries/territories. In East and Southern Africa (n = 9), the highest COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate was reported in Ethiopia (92%), while the lowest rate was reported in Zimbabwe (50%). In West/Central Africa (n = 13), the highest rate was reported in Niger (93%), while the lowest rate was reported in Cameroon (15%). In Asia and the Pacific (n = 16), the highest rates were reported in Nepal and Vietnam (97%), while the lowest rate was reported in Hong Kong (42%). In Eastern Europe/Central Asia (n = 7), the highest rates were reported in Montenegro (69%) and Kazakhstan (64%), while the lowest rate was reported in Russia (30%). In Latin America and the Caribbean (n = 20), the highest rate was reported in Mexico (88%), while the lowest rate was reported in Haiti (43%). In the Middle East/North Africa (MENA, n = 22), the highest rate was reported in Tunisia (92%), while the lowest rate was reported in Iraq (13%). In Western/Central Europe and North America (n = 27), the highest rates were reported in Canada (91%) and Norway (89%), while the lowest rates were reported in Cyprus and Portugal (35%). COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates ≥60% were seen in 72/114 countries/territories, compared to 42 countries/territories with rates between 13% and 59%. The phenomenon of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy appeared more pronounced in the MENA, Europe and Central Asia, and Western/Central Africa. More studies are recommended in Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia to address intentions of the general public to get COVID-19 vaccination.

https://www.dovepress.com/getfile.php?fileID=77550

A Global Map of COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Rates per Country: An Updated Concise Narrative Review

The emphasis in the future, especially the immediate future, must therefore, be on the prevention of unnecessary costs, and on the prevention of unnecessary wastage of materials, labour and resources, in other words, strong management controls. Modern technology must be harnessed, in order to drag the catering industry into the 21st century and managers must learn to become far more professional in doing what they are paid to do. That is, to control the costs of their operations in order to give the service level and value-for-money which the customer expects and is entitled to. He wants to be fed. The caterer must meet his need in the best, most cost-effective way possible.

The challenge of catering. Control measures.

Abstract All countries look up to the COVID-19 vaccine as the panacea against the pandemic. COVID-19 vaccination campaigns have been rolled out globally, while Sri Lanka, too, is ready for its own. To assess the public opinion concerning the COVID-19 vaccination in Sri Lanka, we carried out an online survey from 17.12.2020 to 18.01.2021. Eighty-six percent (n = 1080) of the respondents reed to accept the vaccine. In the meantime, 9 % (n = 108) did not agree to receive the vaccine, while 5% (n = 62) had no idea. The protection given by the vaccine, trends in spreading the disease in the country, and the trust in the vaccine were reasons given for agreeing to get it. Reasons for not agreeing to get the vaccine were “being developed too fast”, the concern of side effects, and lack of trust in the vaccine. Ninety-one percent (n = 1120) of respondents agreed that other preventive measures such as handwashing, social distancing, and wearing face masks must be continued even with COVID-19 vaccination. The respondents prioritized frontline staff, elderly persons, and persons with chronic diseases for receiving the COVID19 vaccine first. Transparent and accountable vaccine procurement, a robust health system with a well-performing Expanded Program of Immunization (EPI), and creative vaccine financing tools were seen as key strengths in the COVID-19 vaccination program. Besides, Sri Lanka, a health-literate and vaccine loving nation with an almost nonexistent anti-vaccination movement, was also seen as a crucial contributor. While the current public opinion provides an ideal ground for a successful COVID-19 vaccination program, due to the inherent vulnerability of misinformation and outrages associated with adverse events following immunization, existing programs for surveillance of adverse events following immunization and surveillance risk communication strategy must be augmented. The window of opportunity of favorable public opinion must be utilized to roll out a successful COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Sri Lanka.

Eighty-six percent of Sri Lankans Wish to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine: A Window of Opportunity for Rolling Out a Successful Vaccination Campaign

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) had massive health, economic, social, and fiscal demands on governments. Communicating about the COVID-19 deaths to the general public by the governments is a challenging task. Department of Government Information (DOGI) communicated about the COVID-19 deaths in Sri Lanka by publishing daily press releases online and in other audio-visual media. The objective of this study was to examine the DOGI press releases of the first 300 COVID-19 deaths in Sri Lanka in retrospect. The information on COVID-19 deaths and associated factors were extracted and analyzed from the press releases. Eighty-nine press releases issued from 25.05.2020 to 30.01.2021 on the first 300 COVID-19 deaths were analyzed. Out of the 300 deaths, the information was available on 271 out of 300 deaths (90.33%) in the DOGI press releases we studied. For the large majority (264, 97.41%) of the deaths, the Director General of Health Services was stated as the source of information. The majority of the persons who died were over 60 (n = 191, 70.48%). Most of the persons who died from COVID-19 were males, n = 168, 61.99%, and were from the Colombo district (n = 165, 60.88%). Most of the deaths (n = 177, 65.31%) have occurred while the patient was taking treatment in a hospital. The most common comorbidity reported among the persons who died of COVID-19 was hypertension (n = 24, 8.86%). Publication of written press releases summarizing the information on COVID-19 deaths in Sri Lanka is a best practice in reporting mortality and communicating risk. The analysis of press releases of COVID-19 deaths can provide useful information about the mortality pattern, which is recommended to be carried out regularly.

/pdf/post-mortem-of-press-releases-of-the-first-300-covid-19-19bcp1zmjk.pdf

Jpt Sachinthani

Papers

Eighty-six percent of Sri Lankans Wish to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine: A Window of Opportunity for Rolling Out a Successful Vaccination Campaign

Post Mortem of Press Releases of the First 300 COVID-19 Deaths in Sri Lanka