Élise Fortin1,2,3, Philippe De Wals1,2, Denis Talbot2, Manale Ouakki1, Geneviève Deceuninck1,4, Chantal Sauvageau1,2, Rodica Gilca1,2,4, Marilou Kiely1,4, Gaston De Serres1,2,4. 1. Direction des risques biologiques et de la santé au travail, Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Québec, QC. 2. Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC. 3. Département de microbiologie, infectiologie et immunologie, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC. 4. Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Québec, QC.
Abstract
Background: Residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs) and private residences for seniors (PRSs) were given priority for vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Given the shortage of vaccine in the winter of 2021, the Comité sur l'immunisation du Québec recommended postponing the administration of second doses to ensure more rapid and widespread administration of first doses. The objective of this study was to measure the impact of first-dose vaccination on 1) the incidence of cases and complications in LTCFs and PRSs and 2) the frequency of outbreaks in LTCFs. Methods: In this ecological study, COVID-19 incidence and complications in residents of LTCFs and PRSs in Québec were compared with the general (community) population at a point in time when there was still only limited eligibility for vaccination. Results: After vaccination in LTCFs, the incidence rate of COVID-19 decreased by 92% compared with 49% in the community, and deaths decreased by 95%. By six weeks post-vaccination, almost no facility reported five or more cases per 100 beds per week. The incidence rate decreased by 91% in PRSs compared with 2% in the community. Hospitalizations and deaths in PRSs decreased by 94% and 90%, respectively. Conclusion: As a result of 1) vaccination of residents with one dose, 2) natural immunity already acquired in LTCFs and PRSs, 3) vaccination of healthcare workers and 4) other non-pharmaceutical prevention measures implemented, the circulation of the coronavirus in these settings was largely interrupted.
Background: Residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs) and private residences for seniors (PRSs) were given priority for vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Given the shortage of vaccine in the winter of 2021, the Comité sur l'immunisation du Québec recommended postponing the administration of second doses to ensure more rapid and widespread administration of first doses. The objective of this study was to measure the impact of first-dose vaccination on 1) the incidence of cases and complications in LTCFs and PRSs and 2) the frequency of outbreaks in LTCFs. Methods: In this ecological study, COVID-19 incidence and complications in residents of LTCFs and PRSs in Québec were compared with the general (community) population at a point in time when there was still only limited eligibility for vaccination. Results: After vaccination in LTCFs, the incidence rate of COVID-19 decreased by 92% compared with 49% in the community, and deaths decreased by 95%. By six weeks post-vaccination, almost no facility reported five or more cases per 100 beds per week. The incidence rate decreased by 91% in PRSs compared with 2% in the community. Hospitalizations and deaths in PRSs decreased by 94% and 90%, respectively. Conclusion: As a result of 1) vaccination of residents with one dose, 2) natural immunity already acquired in LTCFs and PRSs, 3) vaccination of healthcare workers and 4) other non-pharmaceutical prevention measures implemented, the circulation of the coronavirus in these settings was largely interrupted.
Entities:
Keywords:
COVID-19; impact; long-term care; public health; vaccination
Authors: Ilyse Darwish; Luke B Harrison; Ana Maria Passos-Castilho; Annie-Claude Labbé; Sapha Barkati; Me-Linh Luong; Ling Yuan Kong; Marc-Antoine Tutt-Guérette; James Kierans; Cécile Rousseau; Andrea Benedetti; Laurent Azoulay; Christina Greenaway Journal: PLoS One Date: 2022-08-24 Impact factor: 3.752