Eurodata Study: Covid-19 Vaccination Pathway and the Role of Primary Care in 27 European Countries

Lourdes Ramos Del Río, Ileana Gefaell, Sara Ares Blanco, Marina Guisado Clavero, Louise Fitzgerald, Heidrun Lingner, Liubovė Murauskienė, Ábel Perjés, Davorina Petek, Ferdinando Petrazzuoli, Goranka Petricek, Martin Sattler, Natalija Saurek-Aleksandrovska, Alice Serafini, Theresa Sentker, Gunta Ticmane, Peter Torzsa, Bert Vaes, Shlomo Vinker, Limor Adler, Maria Bakola, Sabine Bayen, Elena Brutskaya-Stempkovskaya, Iliana-Carmen Busneag, Asja Ćosić Divjak, Maryher Delphin Peña, Philippe-Richard Domeyer, Sabine Feldmane, Dragan Gjorgjievski, Miroslav Hanževački, Kathryn Hoffmann, Oksana Ilkov, Shushman Ivanna, Marijana Jandric-Kocic, Erva Ucuncu, Aleksandar Kirkovski, Snežana Knežević, Büşra Çimen Korkmaz, Milena Kostic, Anna Krztoń-Królewiecka, Liga Kozlovska, Katarzyna Nessler, Anna Segernäs Kvitting, Sven Streit, Senn Oliver, Raquel Gomez Bravo, Maria Pilar Astier-Peña, Ana Luisa Neves, Nagu Penakacherla, Bruno Heleno, Sherihane Bensemmane

Keywords: COVID-19, Primary Care, Vaccination, Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions

Background:

Primary health care (PHC) participated in COVID-19 vaccination in Europe but their role has not been described.

Research questions:

How was the COVID-19 vaccination pathway in different European countries in PHC? Where did vaccination take place in the community?

Method:

Descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective study with qualitative data acquired through a semi-structured questionnaire to know COVID-19 vaccination in PHC in Europe (27 countries participating). Main variable: COVID-19 vaccination pathway in PHC. All variables were collected from each country in December 2020 till December 2021.

Results:

Vaccination centres were developed in 25 countries. PHC professionals participated in the vaccination campaign in 25 countries but the participation was variable (in Italy was voluntary, in Turkey and Greece only adults were vaccinated in PHC). GP practices vaccinated in 20 countries. GPs, nurses were more frequently involved but also midwifes, pharmacists, paediatricians, dentists, physiotherapists, students, paramedics. Patients could get an appointment online, by phone, in person in most of the countries. A safety protocol before vaccination was present in nearly all the countries. Advice regarding side effects was given in all the countries with informed consent in at least three countries. The waiting time after the vaccination was between 10 and 30 minutes. Patients with prior anaphylactic reactions were referred to Allergology in 6 countries. In case of side effects of the vaccine, nurses and doctors provided care.

Conclusions:

Multiprofessional PHC teams participated actively in the COVID-19 vaccination in at least 25 European countries .

Points for discussion:

What are the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination in primary health care?

Which are the professionals more suitable for COVID-19 vaccination in the context of the pandemic?