Yellow fever vaccination before and during the covid-19 pandemic in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the number of yellow fever vaccine doses administered before and during the covid-19 pandemic in Brazil. METHODS: This is an ecological, time series study based on data from the National Immunization Program. Differences between the median number of yellow fever vaccine doses administered in Brazil and in its regions before (from April/2019 to March/2020) and after (from April/2020 to March/2021) the implementation of social distancing measures in the country were assessed via the Mann-Whitney test. Prais-Winsten regression models were used for time series analyses. RESULTS: We found a reduction in the median number of yellow fever vaccine doses administered in Brazil and in its regions: North (-34.71%), Midwest (-21.72%), South (-63.50%), and Southeast (-34.42%) (p < 0.05). Series showed stationary behavior in Brazil and in its five regions during the covid-19 pandemic (p > 0.05). Brazilian states also showed stationary trends, except for two states which recorded an increasing trend in the number of administered yellow fever vaccine doses, namely: Alagoas State (before: ß = 64, p = 0.081; after: ß = 897, p = 0.039), which became a yellow fever vaccine recommendation zone, and Roraima State (before: ß = 68, p = 0.724; after: ß = 150, p = 0.000), which intensified yellow fever vaccinations due to a yellow fever case confirmation in a Venezuelan State in 2020. CONCLUSION: The reduced number of yellow fever vaccine doses administered during the covid-19 pandemic in Brazil may favor the reemergence of urban yellow fever cases in the country.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Human Papillomavirus Vaccination in Brazil.

Objective: To analyze the number of applied HPV vaccine doses before (from April 2019 to March 2020) and after (from April 2020 to September 2020) social distancing measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in states and regions of Brazil. Methods: Ecological time-series study, using data from the Brazilian National Immunization Program (PNI). Using the Mann-Whitney test, we evaluated the difference between the median number of applied doses during the periods April 2019 to March 2020 and from April 2020 to September 2020. Spatial analysis identified clusters with a high or low percentage reduction in the median applied doses. Prais-Winsten regression models identified temporal trends in the applieddoses from both periods. Results: There was a significant reduction in the median HPV vaccine doses applied, formation of spatial clusters and, after a sharp drop in the number of applieddoses during the months following social distancing. There was a tendency to increase the applied vaccines doses. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in reduction of the number of HPV vaccine doses applied as a possible effect of restrictive measures caused by the pandemic.