The effects of COVID-19 vaccination strategies on vaccine uptake in the Nordic Countries. A scoping review.

Abstract

1.1 Introduction The declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic in 2020 by WHO helped in organizing efforts against the disease, including the manufacture of numerous vaccines. WHO recommended that all countries should vaccinate over 70% of their citizens. However, vaccination coverage is a goal that faces a lot of challenges, including vaccination hesitancy among others. This scoping review addresses vaccination policies and strategies in the Nordic Countries. It maps the literature available in the Nordic Countries addressing vaccination strategies and interventions, and the resulting coverage and other outcomes. 1.2 Methods The review followed the methodology guidance of the Joanna Briggs Institute and adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist. I conducted a database search to identify relevant studies on basis of the inclusion criteria that was based on the research question. I conducted two screening phases on the publications against the inclusion and exclusion criteria before eventually including the select the studies in this review. I did not conduct critical appraisal on the studies included since it was not required as per PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Finally, the data charting process involved extracting the relevant data from the included studies onto tables that I tailored for the purpose of this review. I synthesized the results by extracting the data from the included studies and collating and classifying the studies based on countries, focus, and interventions. 1.3 Results The review included 13 studies focusing on vaccination willingness, uptake, and coverage as outcomes to the various vaccination strategies, campaigns, policies and approaches followed in the Nordic Countries. The studies were of both qualitative and quantitative designs. Five Nordic countries were included in these studies. The majority of the studies included showed vaccination uptake above the 70% recommendation by WHO in the Nordic Countries. 1.4 Conclusion The findings emphasized the importance of effective vaccination rollout organization and communication. Trust proved to strongly influence the vaccination uptake and willingness in the Nordic Countries. Moreover, prioritization strategies had a powerful impact on vaccination coverage. This scoping review serves as a guide for future research and highlights the importance investigating vaccination policies and effects on vaccine uptake and perceptions.