Effect of Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines against COVID-19 morbidity and mortality in real-world settings at countrywide vaccination campaign in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: Vaccinations are highly essential to control infectious diseases and epidemics. Presently, the entire world faces a challenging crisis of "Severe Acute Respiratory Diseases Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), also known as the COVID-19 pandemic". The impact of vaccines at national levels to reduce the SARS-CoV-2 cases and deaths are unclear, and people have concerns about the effectiveness of vaccines in real-world settings. This study's objective was to examine the effect of the "Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca" vaccines to prevent SARS-CoV-2 cases and deaths in Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we collected data on SARS-CoV-2 cases and deaths from the date of the first case of SARS-CoV-2 in Saudi Arabia March 2, 2020, to the date of launching the vaccination campaign on December 14, 2020; and from December 15, 2020, to September 8, 2021. We recorded the World Health Organization data and Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia to evaluate the impact of the "Pfizer/BioNTech, (BNT162b2 mRNA) and Oxford/AstraZeneca (AZD1222)" vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 cases and deaths before and after the vaccination campaign in Saudi Arabia. RESULTS: Saudi Arabia launched the "Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca" vaccination campaign against SARS-CoV-2 on December 14, 2020. In Saudi Arabia, before the vaccination campaign from March 2, 2020, to December 14, 2020, the mean daily SARS-CoV-2 cases were 1235.60, daily deaths were 22.70, that significantly reduced (p=0.0001) compared to the period after the vaccination campaign from December 15, 2020, to September 8, 2021, in which the daily cases fell to 692.08, and daily deaths fell to 9.48 (p=0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In Saudi Arabia, Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccinations significantly reduced the number of SARS-CoV-2 cases and deaths after the vaccination compared to the period before the vaccination campaign at country levels. The study findings demonstrate that vaccination and adherence to nonpharmaceutical intervention can better control the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effect of heat and humidity on the incidence and mortality due to COVID-19 pandemic in European countries.

OBJECTIVE: The weather allied conditions have an impact on air, water, soil, food, ecosystem, feelings, behaviors, and pattern of health and disease. The present study aims to investigate the impact of heat and humidity on the daily basis incidence and mortality due to COVID-19 pandemic in European countries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected 10 European countries, Russia, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Germany, Turkey, France, Belgium, Netherlands and Belarus. This region has a relatively low temperature and high humidity, and has homogenous European ethnicity with almost similar socioeconomic culture and health care system. The data on COVID-19 pandemic including daily new cases and new deaths were recorded from World Health Organization (WHO). The information on daily temperature and humidity was obtained from world climate web "Time and Date". The daily cases, deaths, temperature and humidity were recorded from the date of appearance of first case of "Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)" in the European region, from Jan 27, 2020 to July 17, 2020. RESULTS: In 10 European countries, (Russia, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Germany, Turkey, France, Belgium, Netherlands and Belarus), the daily basis mean temperature from Jan 27, 2020 to July 17, 2020 was 17.07±0.18°C, and humidity was 54.78±0.47%. The overall results revealed a significant inverse correlation between humidity and the number of cases (r= -0.134, p<0.001) and deaths (r= -0.126, p<0.001). Moreover, an increase in temperature was linked with an increase in the number of cases (r=0.062, p=0.013) and deaths (r=0.118, p<0.001). The regression analysis results further revealed that with an increase of 1% humidity the number of cases (ß = -15.90, p<0.001) and deaths (ß=-1.56, p<0.001) reduced significantly. Whereas, with an increase of 1°C in temperature the number of cases (ß = 20.65, p<0.001) and deaths (ß = 3.71, p<0.001) increased significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Increase in relative humidity was associated with a decrease in the number of daily cases and deaths, however, a rise in temperature was allied with an upsurge in the number of daily cases and daily deaths due to COVID-19 pandemic in European countries. The study findings on weather events and COVID-19 pandemic have an impact at European regional levels to project the incidence and mortality trends with regional weather events to enhance public health readiness and assist in planning to fight against this pandemic situation.

Climate and COVID-19 pandemic: effect of heat and humidity on the incidence and mortality in world's top ten hottest and top ten coldest countries.

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global public health crisis with social, psychological and long-lasting economical damages. Weather-related dynamics have an impact on the pattern of human health and disease. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of heat and humidity on daily basis incidence and mortality due to COVID-19 pandemic in ten of the world's hottest countries compared to ten of the coldest ones. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Worldwide, we selected 20 countries; 10 hottest countries with the highest temperatures and 10 coldest countries with the lowest temperature. The selection of the countries was based on the daily basis mean temperature from the date of appearance of the initial cases of COVID-19, Dec 29, 2019 to May 12, 2020. In the world's 10 hottest countries, the mean temperature was (26.31±1.51) and humidity (44.67±4.97). However, in the world's 10 coldest countries the mean temperature was (6.19±1.61) and humidity (57.26±2.35). The data on the global outbreak of COVID-19, daily new cases and deaths were recorded from World Health Organization, and daily information on temperature and humidity was obtained from metrological web "Time and Date". RESULTS: In countries with high temperatures and low humidity, the mean daily cases incidence were (407.12±24.33); cumulative cases (9094.34±708.29); and cumulative deaths (452.84±43.30) were significantly low compared to countries with low temperatures and high humidity: daily cases (1876.72±207.37); cumulative cases (44232.38±5875.11); and cumulative deaths (2008.29±310.13). Moreover, COVID-19 cases and deaths per million population were significantly low in countries with high temperatures (cases 711.23, and deaths 16.27) compared to countries with low temperatures (cases 1685.99; and deaths 86.40). Furthermore, in hottest countries, a 1% increase in humidity reduced number of cases and deaths by (ß = -5.40, p<0.001) and (ß = -0.187, p=0.004) respectively. A similar trend was seen with a 1°C increase in temperature, reducing the number of deaths by (ß = -1.35. p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results revealed a significant decrease in incidence of daily cases and deaths in countries with high temperatures and low humidity (warmest countries), compared to those countries with low temperatures and high humidity (coldest countries). The findings could be of interest to the policymakers and the health officials on the epidemiological trends of COVID-19 pandemic and weather changes.

Effect of temperature and humidity on the dynamics of daily new cases and deaths due to COVID-19 outbreak in Gulf countries in Middle East Region.

OBJECTIVE: Weather-related dynamics have an impact on the pattern of health and disease. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of temperature and humidity on the daily new cases and daily new deaths due to COVID-19 in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in the Middle East. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected all the six GCC countries, including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman. This region has a relatively high temperature and humidity, and has homogenous Arab ethnicity with a similar socioeconomic culture. The data on the global outbreak of COVID-19, including daily new cases and deaths were recorded from World Health Organization. The information on daily temperature and humidity was obtained from world climate web "Time and Date". The daily basis, mean temperature and humidity were recorded from the date of appearance of first case of COVID-19 in the region, Jan 29, 2020 to May 15, 2020. We also evaluated the growth factor, "a ratio by which a quantity multiplies itself over time; it equals daily cases divided by cases on the previous day". RESULTS: In GCC countries, the daily basis mean temperature from Jan 29, 2020 to May 15, 2020 was 29.20±0.30°C and humidity was 37.95±4.40%. The results revealed that there was a negative correlation and decrease in the number of daily cases and deaths from COVID-19 with increase in humidity in Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The correlation coefficient between temperature with daily cases shows that an increase in temperature was associated with an increase in daily cases and deaths due to COVID-19, however, the temperature is still gradually rising in the region. The growth factor result for daily cases was 1.09±0.00 and daily deaths was 1.07±0.03 for COVID-19, and shows declining trends in GCC region. CONCLUSIONS: An increase in relative humidity was associated with a decrease in the number of daily cases and deaths due to COVID-19 in GCC countries. The daily growth factor for patients and deaths shows a declining trend. However, the climate is swiftly changing in the region; further studies may be conducted during the peak of summer season. The findings have outcomes for policymakers and health officials about the impact of temperature and humidity on epidemiological trends of daily new cases and deaths due to COVID-19.

Novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV: prevalence, biological and clinical characteristics comparison with SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV.

OBJECTIVE: Human infections with zoonotic coronavirus contain emerging and reemerging pathogenic characteristics which have raised great public health concern. This study aimed at investigating the global prevalence, biological and clinical characteristics of novel coronavirus, Wuhan China (2019-nCoV), Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV), and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection outbreaks. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data on the global outbreak of "2019-nCoV, SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV" were obtained from World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), concerned ministries and research institutes. We also recorded the information from research documents published in global scientific journals indexed in ISI Web of Science and research centers on the prevalence, biological and clinical characteristics of 2019-nCoV, SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV. RESULTS: Worldwide, SARS-CoV involved 32 countries, with 8422 confirmed cases and 916 (10.87%) casualties from November 2002 to August 2003. MERS-CoV spread over 27 states, causing 2496 cases and 868 (34.77%) fatalities during the period April 2012 to December 2019. However, the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV spread swiftly the global borders of 27 countries. It infected 34799 people and resulted in 724 (2.08%) casualties during the period December 29, 2019 to February 7, 2020. The fatality rate of coronavirus MERS-CoV was (34.77%) higher than SARS-CoV (10.87%) and 2019-nCoV (2.08%); however, the 2019-nCoV transmitted rapidly in comparison to SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. CONCLUSIONS: The novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV has diverse epidemiological and biological characteristics, making it more contagious than SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. It has affected more people in a short time period compared to SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, although the fatality rate of MERS-CoV was higher than SARS-CoV and 2019-nCoV. The major clinical manifestations in coronavirus infections 2019-nCoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS CoV are fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, generalized myalgia, malaise, drowsy, diarrhea, confusion, dyspnea, and pneumonia. Global health authorities should take immediate measures to prevent the outbreaks of such emerging and reemerging pathogens across the globe to minimize the disease burden locally and globally.