ABSTRACT
Objective: To describe the elapsed time between vaccination against SARS-COV2 and development of COVID19 pneumonia. To analyse the relation between COVID19 pneumonia and the time between doses as well as with patient profile. Material and/or methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study of patients diagnosed with COVID19 pneumonia and correctly vaccinated who have been notified to SEFV-h. The search for cases was carried out using the FEDRA 3 application between January and September 2021. Results: 99 cases of pneumonia in correctly vaccinated patients were identified;of these, 75 were vaccinated with Comirnaty, 12 with Janssen, 9 with Vaxzevria and 3 with Spikevax. Fifty-seven percent of pneumonias occurred 60 to 129 days after vaccination with a maximum ranging from 90 to 99 days (median 96). For analysis of the time between doses, the 87 cases that required two doses to complete vaccination schedule were considered. Nine of them had more than 2 months between doses, while 78 had less than 1 month (in 54% of the 87 cases 21 days had passed). There was no apparent association with the frequency of developing pneumonia. Thirty-seven percent were women and 60% men. To assess age, the cases were distributed by decade. Thus, the age group >79 had the highest number of cases (52), while the groups 60-69 and 70-79 comprised 18 cases each. The least cases were in the remaining groups: 8 (50-59), 2 (40-49) and 1 (30-39). There was none in the lower age groups. Conclusions: The data indicate that most cases of vaccine failure with severe disease occur 3 months after vaccination. Compared to pre-vaccination data collected from other sources, a decrease in severe cases was observed, with unchanged patient profile in terms of age and sex.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The outbreak of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) made imperative the use of protective devices as a source control tool. As there is no definite antiviral treatment and effective vaccine, the only efficient means of protecting and mitigating infectious contagion has been the use of personal protective equipment, especially by healthcare workers. However, masks affect the humidification process of inhaled air, possibly leading to a basal inflammatory state of the upper airways. STUDY DESIGN: This is a single-center observational study conducted at the University Hospital of Catania from April 1, 2020, to June 31, 2020. METHODS: We analyzed the role of protective masks on the elimination of upper airways complaints in healthcare workers of the University Hospital of Catania. We evaluated 277 subjects through a self-administered 17 item questionnaire based on respiratory, work performance and health-related quality of life domains. RESULTS: A higher prevalence of nasal and ocular symptoms, perceived reduced work performance, difficulty in concentrating, and sleep disorders were found. After two weeks adhering to a list of good practices that we recommended, significant reversibility of the symptoms investigated and work performance enhancement were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Despite clinical complaints related to personal protective equipment, effective amelioration through usage rules is easily obtained. Given the essential use of protective masks, healthcare workers have to adhere to appropriate work and safety prevention rules.