Unvaccinated police, firefighters report low trust in COVID-19 vaccinesAlthough unvaccinated police officers and firefighters are more likely to develop COVID-19, they are less likely to trust that the vaccines are effective and safe, according to a US study published yesterday in JAMA Network Open.University of Miami researchers led the study of 1,415 police officers and firefighters from Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, Oregon, Texas, and Utah participating in two studies from January to September 2021.
Participants worked at least 20 hours a week in roles requiring them to come within 3 feet of others.Each week, participants collected nasal specimens and reported any COVID-like symptoms.
They also contributed respiratory samples for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing and completed quarterly follow-up surveys.Of the participants, 79% were men, 68% were firefighters, 17% were police officers, and 15% had other roles.
The average age was 41.3 years, and 82% completed an attitude survey (363 of 586 [62%] of the unvaccinated and 800 of 829 [97%] of the fully vaccinated).