UPTAKE OF COVID-19 VACCINE AMONG NURSES IN A SUB-COUNTY HOSPITAL IN NYAMIRA COUNTY, KENYA

ABSTRACT Equitable access to safe and effective vaccines is critical to ending the COVID-19 pandemic. However, nearly one-third of healthcare workers were unvaccinated against COVID-19 by mid-September 2021. This study sought to determine the uptake of COVID-19 vaccine among nurses in a sub county hospital in Nyamira County, Kenya. Saturated sampling design was employed. Using a cross-sectional design, data was collected in July 2021 using a structured self-administered questionnaire. SPSS version 22 was used to code, enter, analyse, organize, present and store data. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the findings. Inferential analysis using Chi-Square and Logistic Regression were performed. Data was presented using tables. The results showed an uptake of 51.6 % for at least one dose of COVID 19 vaccine, while 48.4 % of the respondents were hesitant in receiving the vaccine. Chi-Square analysis of the demographic characteristics showed positive associations with uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine. However, from the regression analyses, gender (p=.223, 95 % CI, SE .795, OR 1.250), level of nursing education (p=.132, 95 % CI, SE .491, OR 1.141), years of experience (p=.228, 95 % CI, SE .453, OR 1.256), and knowledge (.583, CI 95%, SE .758, OR 1.792) were all positively associated with uptake of COVID-19 vaccine, while age showed negative association (p=-.033, 95 % CI, SE .381, OR .968). The study concluded that there was hesitancy in the uptake of COVID-19 vaccine. It is, therefore, recommended that measures to increase nurses’ uptake of the COVId-19 vaccine, such as education on the vaccine among other strategies, be instituted.