Policy-led rollout and limited community support in Poland’s COVID-19 vaccination response

Background

Despite widespread vaccine availability, COVID-19 vaccination uptake in Poland remained lower than in many EU countries due to hesitancy fueled by safety concerns and misinformation. Although the National Vaccination Programme provided central coordination, many measures were introduced reactively as barriers emerged. This study examined whether interventions aimed at increasing uptake reflected mainly a policy-led rollout or also included community-based and clinician-mediated components.

Methods

We conducted a scoping review (PRISMA-ScR) covering peer-reviewed and grey sources in Polish or English from January 2021 to July 2024. MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and institutional websites were searched. Two teams extracted data using a predetermined framework; disagreements were discussed and adjudicated. Interventions were classified by target group and mapped onto McKenzie, Issel, and Cataldi frameworks. The analysis was conducted within the EUVABECO project (No 101132545; 5786/EU4Health/2024/2).

Results

Twenty-four peer-reviewed publications and 137 grey sources yielded 167 interventions. Across frameworks, the portfolio was dominated by centrally coordinated, policy-oriented, and communication-based measures. In McKenzie, health policy/enforcement (46%) and health communication (37%) led. In Issel, coordination (55%) exceeded education (25%). In Cataldi, policy interventions (37%) and public health processes (31%) predominated, while community-based and behavior change interventions were rare (2% and 1%). Most interventions targeted the general population (42%), followed by medical staff (11%), migrants and refugees (7%), and older adults (5%).

Conclusions

Poland’s COVID-19 vaccination response was centralized and system-focused, with fewer interventions embedded in communities or clinical practice. Future strategies should link national policy with local delivery, targeted outreach, and monitoring to support adaptation.

Key messages

• Poland’s COVID-19 vaccination response relied mainly on policy, coordination, and communication, with limited community-based and clinician-mediated action.

• Future vaccination strategies should connect national rollout with local delivery, targeted outreach, and monitoring to adapt quickly to emerging barriers.