Publication date: Dec 31, 2024

The COVID-19 booster dose is considered an important adjunct for the control of the COVID-19 pandemic due to reports of reduced immunity in fully vaccinated individuals. The aims of this study were to assess healthcare workers’ intention to receive the booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine and to identify predictive factors among healthcare workers. A cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare workers selected in two provinces, Kasai Oriental, and Haut-Lomami. Data were collected using a questionnaire administered through structured face-to-face interviews, with respondents using a pre-tested questionnaire set up on the Open Data Kit (ODK Collect). All data were analyzed using SPSS v26. 0 (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA). Vaccination coverage for COVID-19, considering declarations by health workers, is around 85. 9% for the province of Kasai Oriental and 85. 8% for Haut-Lomami. A total of 975 responses were collected, 71. 4% of health workers at Kasai Oriental and 66. 4% from Haut-Lomami declared a definite willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster. The duration of protection was the main reason for accepting a booster COVID-19 dose for 64. 6% of the respondents. Logistic regression analysis showed that having chronic diseases (aOR = 2. 95 [1. 65-5. 28]), having already received one of the COVID-19 vaccines (aOR = 2. 72 [1. 43-5. 19]); the belief that only high-risk individuals, such as healthcare professionals and elderly people suffering from other illnesses, needed a booster dose (aOR = 1. 75 [1. 10-2. 81]). Considering the burden of COVID-19, a high acceptance rate for booster doses could be essential to control the pandemic. Our results are novel and could help policymakers design and implement specific COVID-19 vaccination programs to reduce reluctance to seek booster vaccination.

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