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A Survey of Healthcare Worker Attitudes and Perceptions Toward the Ebola Vaccine, Ervebo

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 September 2025

Rinki Goswami
Affiliation:
New York University, Langone Health
Anthony Lo Piccolo
Affiliation:
NYU Langone Health
Rachel Miller
Affiliation:
Denver Health & Hospital Authority
Maria Frank
Affiliation:
University of Texas Medical Branch
Corri Levine
Affiliation:
University of Texas Medical Branch
Justin Chan
Affiliation:
NYU Grossman School of Medicine

Abstract

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Background: Outbreaks of Zaire ebolavirus are an ongoing public health threat associated with high case fatality rates. The US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends preexposure vaccination with rVSV∆G-ZEBOV-GP Ebola vaccine (Brand name: Ervebo), which is effective in preventing disease caused by Zaire ebolavirus, to people at high risk for occupational exposure. We describe the perceptions and desire to be vaccinated with Ervebo among a subset of eligible US healthcare workers (HCWs). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional online anonymous survey during March-October 2024, distributed to eligible HCWs at three Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Centers (RESPTCs): NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, University of Texas Medical Branch, and Denver Health & Hospital Authority. Results: There were 66 responses (40% response rate), with the majority aged 30-49 years (63%), female (65%), and either a physician (42%) or nurse (27%). The majority (56%) had received some form of education on Ebola vaccines, most commonly through informational sheets or pamphlets (60%). Thirty-four (51%) were interested in (n=30) or already vaccinated with (n=4) Ervebo. Among those interested or already vaccinated, 44% would choose to receive the vaccine immediately, while 24% would get vaccinated if there were a case of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the US. Among those not interested or unsure (n=32), most were concerned about risks of spreading the vaccine viral vector (44%), insufficient knowledge about the vaccine (31%), and unacceptable side effects (31%). Among all respondents, the most common concerns about adverse events included potential for a serious side effect (64%) and risk of arthritis (36%). Forty seven percent of respondents were concerned about the potential for spread of the vaccine virus vector. Respondents most frequently wanted more education on potential side effects (67%) and the risk of spreading the vaccine virus vector (59%). Among those not interested in vaccination or unsure (n=32), some may be convinced to accept vaccination if there were an EVD outbreak in the US (44%), if they better understood the risks and benefits of vaccination (34%), and if they better understood the vaccine safety (31%). Conclusion: During a period with no EVD outbreaks, a majority (51%) of eligible HCWs surveyed at three US RESPTCs were interested in or had received Ervebo. A significant proportion (24%) prefer to postpone vaccination until there is a case of EVD in the US. Deployment of Ervebo to eligible US HCWs may be optimized by addressing concerns identified in this study.

Information

Type
Vaccination
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America