Victor Santana Santos1,2,3, Sarah Cristina Fontes Vieira2,4, Ikaro Daniel de Carvalho Barreto5, Vanessa Tavares de Gois-Santos2, Ariel Oliveira Celestino2, Carla Domingues6, Luis Eduardo Cuevas7, Ricardo Queiroz Gurgel2,4. 1. Centre for Epidemiology and Public Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Arapiraca, Brazil. 2. Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Federal University of Sergipe, Aracaju, Brazil. 3. Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil. 4. Pediatrics Subdivision, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe, Aracaju, Brazil. 5. Graduate Program of Biometry and Applied Statistics, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil. 6. Epidemiologist, PhD in Tropical Medicine. Independent Researcher, Brasília, Brazil. 7. Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted health services, including vaccination demand. We describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine pediatric vaccination in Brazil. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all vaccine doses provided to children aged 0-6 years from January 2019 to December 2020. We obtained data stratified by age group (0 to 2 years and >2 to 6 years) and Brazilian region. Difference-in-difference (DiD) analyses were performed to compare vaccine uptake in the pre-pandemic (January-February), stay-at-home (March-June), and reopening (July-December) periods. RESULTS: The number of vaccine doses administered declined in the stay-at-home period. For children aged 0 to 2 years, the highest reductions were recorded in the North (-25.3%), Northeast (-16.8%) and Central-West (-10.2%) regions. For children aged >2 to 6 years, the highest decline was observed in the North (DiD = -27.2%) and South (DiD = -14.0%) regions. The number of vaccine doses administered in the reopening period has slightly increased in all regions. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccination decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the number of doses recovered in part during the reopening phase, additional strategies, such as increased public awareness and vaccination booster campaigns are required.
BACKGROUND: COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted health services, including vaccination demand. We describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine pediatric vaccination in Brazil. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all vaccine doses provided to children aged 0-6 years from January 2019 to December 2020. We obtained data stratified by age group (0 to 2 years and >2 to 6 years) and Brazilian region. Difference-in-difference (DiD) analyses were performed to compare vaccine uptake in the pre-pandemic (January-February), stay-at-home (March-June), and reopening (July-December) periods. RESULTS: The number of vaccine doses administered declined in the stay-at-home period. For children aged 0 to 2 years, the highest reductions were recorded in the North (-25.3%), Northeast (-16.8%) and Central-West (-10.2%) regions. For children aged >2 to 6 years, the highest decline was observed in the North (DiD = -27.2%) and South (DiD = -14.0%) regions. The number of vaccine doses administered in the reopening period has slightly increased in all regions. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccination decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the number of doses recovered in part during the reopening phase, additional strategies, such as increased public awareness and vaccination booster campaigns are required.
Authors: Alexandra M Cardoso Pinto; Lasith Ranasinghe; Peter J Dodd; Shyam Sundar Budhathoki; James A Seddon; Elizabeth Whittaker Journal: Front Pediatr Date: 2022-08-11 Impact factor: 3.569