The result of a survey done in Hong Kong and was published by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) showed that majority of the healthcare workers there prefer not to be immunized with the anti swine flu vaccine. This is in spite the ongoing threat that they can acquire the disease anytime. Those who refused to be vaccinated with the H1N1 vaccine said that they are afraid of the possible side effects and are worried that the drug may not be so effective.

The result of the Hong Kong survey is similar to the results obtained in Britainwherein the willingness of 1,500 nurses to be shot with the flu vaccine is also asked. It turned out that only 30% of the respondents agreed to be vaccinated.

The proposal to immunize all healthcare workers is part of the local and global efforts to fight the spread of this pandemic. Experts are avoiding the possibility wherein the people (e.g. doctors and nurses) who are supposed to take care of the sick are also afflicted with illness. This would cause disorder of the healthcare system, one that would make nightmare in the health care scene a reality.

The European Union in compliance with the guidelines they set identified the healthcare workers as among the people to that should first receive the swine flu vaccine as they are the ones that are most at risk of catching the flu.  Pregnant women as well as those who have existing serious illnesses are also included.

The same guidelines are being followed by US health officials.

Those who conducted the survey are surprised with the result they got in Hong Kong. Their unwillingness to be vaccinated seems unlikely when the survey was done at a time when the WHO raised the H1N1 virus epidemic to a level five alert. Added to that, the Asian country has been hit by another deadly virus in 2002, the SARS epidemic.

The said survey was conducted by a group of researchers from the University of Hong Kong under the supervision of Paul Chan. They asked the opinion of a total of 8,500 healthcare workers composed of physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals.

The survey was first conducted in early 2009, when the pandemic alert was just at level 3. The same survey and the same respondents were asked the same questions in May when the WHO raised the pandemic alert to level 5. There is not much difference with the result of both surveys. The first survey said that only 47% are willing to be vaccinated while the second survey showed that 48% are wiling.

It appears that those who said yes are the younger respondents who had been shot with the vaccine last season and are afraid that their chance of acquiring the disease is high.

The authors said, "This study provides important information on barriers to vaccination. Campaigns to promote vaccination should consider addressing the knowledge gap of staff and the specific target groups for intervention."