COVID-19 Vaccination in Pharmacies: Insights Into Polish Pharmacists’ Attitudes and Participation

The COVID-19 pandemic required a quick response from the state. In 2021, the main strategic goal in Poland was to vaccinate as many citizens as possible in the shortest possible time. However, relatively few pharmacists chose to obtain the qualification and perform vaccinations against SARS-Cov2 in pharmacies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the opinions and motivations of pharmacists regarding COVID-19 vaccinations in community pharmacies and to identify barriers to vaccination. The paper version of a survey was delivered by the authors of the article and then filled in by 470 pharmacists in the Lodz region. Of this number, 150 completed the qualification course and administered vaccinations and 320 did not. Reliability analysis confirmed strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.877). Exploratory factor analysis (KMO = 0.749, Bartlett’s test p < 0.001) identified three factors explaining 65.1% of the variance: (F1) the positive impact on the public health (α = 0.828), (F2) the enhancement of public perception and professional prestige (α = 0.823), and (F3) financial benefits (α = 0.772). Among vaccinating pharmacists, 92% expressed satisfaction with the course. In the non-vaccinating group, the most common reasons for not performing vaccinations were lack of course participation (57.8%), workplace limitations (23.1%). Nevertheless, over half of the surveyees (51.6%) expressed willingness to vaccinate in the future. The results indicate interest in performing vaccination by pharmacists. However, greater involvement of pharmacists requires significant policy changes, educational interventions, or further research.