Elsevier

Vaccine

Volume 39, Issue 51, 17 December 2021, Pages 7441-7445
Vaccine

Evaluation of a prototype decontamination mobile unit (UMDEO) for COVID-19 vaccination: A cross-sectional survey in France

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.10.080Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Mobile units may improve mass vaccination against COVID-19 and other pandemics.

  • The use of a mobile unit as vaccination center has been widely welcomed and used by the professional and target population.

  • The mobile vaccination unit facilitates access to isolated population.

  • The use of a mobile decontamination unit as a vaccination center is an innovative concept.

Abstract

Aim of the study

In the context of the worldwide vaccination campaign against COVID-19, France has been deploying multiple sites for mass vaccination. This study aimed to assess the perceived usefulness of a prototype decontamination mobile unit (UMDEO) for COVID-19 vaccination among both the patient and healthcare providers perspectives.

Methods

This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in Toulouse over two days. UMDEO is a fully comprehensive, versatile solution that was deployed as a 5-row vaccination unit. A written questionnaire was distributed from March 6th-7th, 2021 among all patients presenting for vaccination at the mobile center, as well as the team participating in the vaccination campaign.

Results

Among the vaccinated patients (n = 1659), 1409 participants (84.9%) filled out the survey, as well as 68 out of 85 (80%) within the UMDEO team. The maximum patient rate was 98 people per hour. The majority of participants and caregivers (1307 [93.2%] and 67 [98.5%] respectively) agreed that the mobile unit increased access to vaccination. A total of 91.3% patients (n = 1281) and 95.6% caregivers (n = 65) believed that it would speed up the overall vaccination campaign.

Conclusion

The majority of the vaccinated population and of the team participating in the survey were satisfied with the usefulness of UMDEO as a vaccination center. Toulouse is currently the only city to have used such a structure for vaccination, but it could be used as a basis for planning other mobile units to increase vaccination access.

Keywords

Mass vaccination
Mobile unit
COVID-19
Pandemic
Disaster Medicine

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