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Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccination in the Inpatient Setting
Margaret Rush1, Cleopatra Hyman2, Alexandra Yonts3
1Divisions of Hospital Medicine.
Insights
Pediatric inpatients can receive COVID-19 vaccines in hospitals, improving access for a population that is often under-vaccinated. However, consistent vaccine administration remains a challenge even for interested children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric infectious diseases
- Public health vaccination strategies
- Hospital-based healthcare delivery
Background:
- The inpatient setting is an underutilized resource for pediatric vaccinations.
- A hospital-initiated COVID-19 vaccination program for pediatric inpatients was established during the pandemic.
- This program aimed to improve vaccine access for eligible children admitted to the hospital.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the implementation of a COVID-19 vaccination program for pediatric inpatients.
- To assess the impact and effectiveness of offering COVID-19 vaccines to hospitalized children.
- To understand patient interest and vaccine uptake in this setting.
Main Methods:
- Screening of all admitted pediatric patients for COVID-19 vaccine eligibility and interest.
- Recording patient interest and communicating it to the clinical team for education and vaccination.
- Analyzing data on patient interest, vaccine refusal, uncertainty, and final vaccination status.
Main Results:
- Out of 1615 eligible patients, 1601 had their interest recorded; 21% were interested, 50% declined, and 28% were unsure.
- 29% of interested patients received the COVID-19 vaccine before discharge.
- Vaccination was achieved in 6% of unsure patients and 2% of initially declining patients.
Conclusions:
- The inpatient setting offers a valuable opportunity for pediatric COVID-19 vaccine education and administration.
- Hospital vaccination programs can enhance access for under-vaccinated pediatric populations.
- Consistent vaccine administration in pediatric inpatients presents ongoing challenges despite expressed interest.
Background And Objectives:
The inpatient setting is often underutilized as a venue for providing pediatric vaccines. During the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, our hospital began a vaccination program to provide access to COVID-19 vaccines for eligible pediatric inpatients. Our objective was to describe the establishment and assess the impact of a COVID-19 vaccination program for pediatric inpatients.
Methods:
All admitted patients were screened for eligibility and interest in inpatient COVID-19 vaccination upon admission from April 27, 2021 until February 12, 2022. For those eligible for vaccination, their interest was recorded and shared with the clinical team. The clinical team completed education and/or vaccination depending on individual case. Interest in inpatient vaccination and ultimate receipt of a vaccine was recorded and analyzed.
Results:
During the study period, 1615 patients were eligible for inpatient vaccination and 1601 had their interest recorded on hospital admission. Twenty-one percent of these patients were interested, 50% declined, and 28% were unsure. Twenty-nine percent of those initially interested were given vaccine by the clinical team before discharge. Six percent of patients who were unsure and 2% of those who declined vaccine on admission were vaccinated before discharge.
Conclusions:
The inpatient setting can be an important venue to allow for education and discussion regarding pediatric COVID-19 vaccine and to improve access to vaccination for a traditionally under-vaccinated population. Challenges remain with consistent vaccine administration even for interested pediatric inpatients.
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