‘It’s a fragile open door’—enhancing COVID-19 vaccination rates in people receiving treatment for substance use disorder

BACKGROUND: People with substance use disorder are at high risk of harms from COVID-19 infection. Vaccine hesitancy is common in this population and compounds pre-existing barriers to accessing health care. A drug and alcohol service in Sydney, Australia introduced strategies to enhance COVID-19 vaccination in people receiving opioid agonist treatment (OAT). We report vaccination outcomes and staff experiences of this. METHODS: This mixed methods study (i) retrospectively evaluated vaccine uptake in people accessing OAT and (ii) explored perceptions of staff who delivered vaccination interventions through surveys and semi-structured interviews. RESULTS: Of the 984 patients receiving OAT on 9 December 2021, 90.9% had received the first COVID-19 vaccination and 86.7% the second. Australia wide vaccination rates on that date were 93.1% and 88.7% for first and second doses, respectively. Staff commented that having a deep knowledge, understanding and connection with the patient group drove implementation and success of vaccination interventions. This was further supported by staff engagement with the vaccination interventions, and communication and sharing information, both between staff and with patients. CONCLUSION: High rates of COVID-19 vaccination can be achieved in a vulnerable population. Engaged staff providing information and facilitating access to healthcare underpin this success.