Wiener klinische Wochenschrift
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Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. · Dec 2022
Which preventive control measure initiated the "flattening of the curve" : A comparison of Austria and Victoria during the 2nd wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When a country introduces different COVID-19 control measures over time, it is important to identify the specific measure that was effective and therefore responsible for "flattening the curve". This information helps policymakers find the right decision and saves the economy by avoiding severe yet ineffective measures. ⋯ Considering that the effect of control measures is expected the earliest one serial interval after their introduction, the control measure responsible for "flattening the curve" was the soft lockdown in Austria and the mask mandate in Victoria. The severe lockdowns in both regions were ineffective.
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Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. · Dec 2022
Predictors of vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic in Austria : A population-based cross-sectional study.
Unwillingness to get vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a major barrier in managing the pandemic. Previous studies have explored predictors of hesitancy to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but evidence on these predictors was partly mixed, and the number of assessed predictors was often limited. This study aimed to explore a wide range of potential predictors of vaccine hesitancy in a population-based cross-sectional study. ⋯ The study confirms that public health efforts targeting unvaccinated persons need to address freedom-related fears and social media discourse in order to improve vaccine uptake in the population. Particularly individuals in socially and economically disadvantaged groups and social media users need to be targeted to reduce vaccine hesitancy.