Influenza vaccination in older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: a population-based study in 133 Brazilian cities. / Vacinação para influenza em idosos na pandemia COVID-19: estudo de base populacional em 133 cidades brasileiras.

Routine immunization during pandemics can be harmed. This study estimated the influenza vaccination coverage in older adults during the COVID-19 through the EPICOVID-19, a population-based study conducted in 133 cities from the 26 Brazilian states and Federal District. We selected 25 census tracts per city, with probability proportional to the tract's size, ten households by census tract, and one random individual interviewed. A total of 8,265 older adults (≥60 years old) were interviewed and asked whether they had been vaccinated against flu in 2020. Vaccination coverage was 82.3% (95% CI: 80.1-84.2) with no difference by gender, age, and region; higher vaccination coverage was observed among the wealthiest (84.7% versus 80.1% in the poorest) and among the more educated (87.3% versus 83.2% less educated); lower coverage among indigenous (56.9% versus > 80% among other ethnic groups). A positive association was identified with the number of comorbidities among men but not among women. Most of the population was vaccinated (97.5%) in the public health system. The private network was chosen mainly in the South by the wealthiest and more educated. Vaccination coverage was seven percentage points lower than the government target (90%), and inequalities should be reversed in future campaigns.

Imunizações de rotina durante pandemias podem ser prejudicadas. Este estudo estimou a cobertura vacinal para influenza em idosos durante a COVID-19 através do EPICOVID-19, inquérito populacional realizado em 133 cidades sentinelas dos 26 estados brasileiros e Distrito Federal. Selecionou-se 25 setores censitários por cidade, amostragem proporcional ao tamanho, dez domicílios por setor e uma pessoa por domicílio, aleatoriamente. O quantitativo de 8.265 idosos (≥ 60 anos) foram entrevistados e responderam se haviam sido vacinados contra gripe em 2020. A cobertura foi 82,3% (IC95% 80,1; 84,2), sem diferenças por sexo, idade ou região. Maiores coberturas ocorreram nos mais ricos (84,7% versus 80,1% nos mais pobres) e nos mais escolarizados (87,3% versus 83,2% nos menos escolarizados). Menor cobertura nos indígenas (56,9% versus coberturas superiores a 80% nos demais grupos étnicos). Houve associação positiva com número de comorbidades entre homens, mas não entre mulheres. A maioria vacinou-se na rede pública (97,5%), sendo a rede privada mais utilizada na região Sul, pelos mais escolarizados e mais ricos. Conclui-se que a cobertura vacinal ficou sete pontos percentuais abaixo da meta governamental (90%), e que desigualdades devem ser revertidas em futuras campanhas.

[Mask use during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil: results of the EPICOVID19-BR study]. / Uso de máscara durante a pandemia de COVID-19 no Brasil: resultados do estudo EPICOVID19-BR.

By March 3, 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused more than 399 million infections and claimed the lives of more than five million people worldwide. To reduce infection rates, a series of prevention measures indicated by the World Health Organization (WHO) were adopted by countries, including the use of masks. This study aims to describe mask use in Brazil via data analysis from the EPICOVID19-BR, a population-based study conducted in 133 cities in the country in four phases between March and August 2020. The proportion of individuals who reported wearing a mask when they left their homes was 97.9% (95%CI: 97.8-98.0). The interviewer did not see interviewees' mask in 50% (95%CI: 49.9-51.1) of the cases at the time of the interview. However, between phase one and four of the survey, we observed a 4.4% decrease in the proportion of interviewees who failed to wear masks at the time of the interview. Mask non-visualization was more prominent in women, participants aged 10-19 and 20-29 years of indigenous, black, and brown skin color, and those with elementary and high school education and in the Central-West Region. The use of cloth masks showed a 91.4% predominance (95%CI: 91.2-1.5) with a 4.9% increase between phases 1 and 4. The results of the study bring important information to reinforce COVID-19 control policies in Brazil. The high percentage of people who failed to wear masks at the time of the interview suggests that it is still important to reinforce prevention and self-care, rather than relating mask wear to a mandatory measure.

A pandemia de COVID-19 já causou mais de 399 milhões de infecções e custou a vida de mais de cinco milhões de pessoas no mundo, até 3 de março de 2022. Para reduzir a taxa de infecção, uma série de medidas de prevenção indicadas pela Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) foram adotadas pelos países, entre elas, o uso de máscara. O objetivo deste estudo é descrever a utilização de máscara na população brasileira, através da análise de dados do EPICOVID19-BR, um estudo de base populacional realizado em 133 cidades do país, em quatro fases entre março e agosto de 2020. A proporção de indivíduos que preferiram usar máscara quando saíam de casa foi de 97,9% (IC95%: 97,8-98,0). O entrevistador não visualizou a máscara do entrevistado em 50% (IC95%: 49,9-51,1) dos casos no momento da entrevista, no entanto, entre a fase uma e quatro da pesquisa, observou-se uma diminuição de 4,4 pontos percentuais na proporção de entrevistados que não usaram máscara no momento da entrevista. A não visualização da máscara foi mais observada em mulheres, participantes com idade entre 10-19 e 20-29 anos, de cor de pele indígena, preta, e parda, entre as pessoas com Ensinos Fundamental e Médio e na Região Centro-oeste. O uso de máscara de tecido foi predominante 91,4% (IC95%: 91,2-91,5) com um aumento de 4,9 pontos percentuais entre as fases 1 e 4. Os resultados do estudo trazem informações importantes para reforçar as políticas de controle de COVID-19 no Brasil. O alto percentual de pessoas sem máscara na hora da entrevista sugere que ainda é importante reforçar o aspecto preventivo e de autocuidado, não fazendo do uso da máscara algo apenas ligado à obrigatoriedade.

La pandemia del COVID-19 ha provocado más de 399 millones de infecciones y se ha cobrado la vida de más de cinco millones de personas en todo el mundo hasta el 3 de Marzo de 2022. Para reducir la tasa de contagios, los países adoptaron una serie de medidas de prevención indicadas por la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS), entre ellas el uso de mascarillas. El objetivo de este estudio es describir el uso de mascarillas en la población brasileña, utilizando el análisis de datos de EPICOVID19-BR, un estudio de base poblacional realizado en 133 ciudades del país, en cuatro fases entre marzo y agosto de 2020. La proporción de personas que informaron usar mascarillas al salir de casa fue del 97,9% (IC95%: 97,8-98,0). El entrevistador no vio la mascarilla del entrevistado en el 50% (IC95%: 49,9-51,1) de los casos al momento de la entrevista, sin embargo entre las fases uno y cuatro de la investigación se observó una disminución de 4,4 puntos porcentuales en la proporción de los encuestados que no llevaban mascarilla durante la entrevista. Se observó una mayor visualización de falta de uso de mascarillas en las mujeres, en participantes con edades entre 10-19 y 20-29 años, de color de piel indígena, negra y parda, entre personas con educación primaria y secundaria y en la Región Centro-oeste. Hubo un mayor predominio de uso de mascarillas de tela en el 91,4% (IC95%: 91,2-91,5) con un aumento de 4,9 puntos porcentuales entre las fases 1 y 4. Los resultados muestran la importancia de fortalecer las políticas de prevención del COVID-19 en Brasil. El alto porcentaje de personas sin mascarilla al momento de la entrevista sugiere que es importante reforzar la prevención y el autocuidado en general no solo relacionado a la obligatoriedad en el uso de mascarillas.

Prevalence of symptoms of COVID-19 in the state of Rio Grande do Sul: results of a population-based study with 18,000 participants

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the prevalence of reports of symptoms of COVID-19 among individuals with and without antibodies and identify those with greater capability to predict the presence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. METHODS The study uses data collected in phases 5 to 8 of Epicovid-19-RS. The presence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 was evaluated by a rapid test. The occurrence of cough, fever, palpitations, sore throat, difficulty breathing, changes in taste and smell, vomiting, diarrhea, body pain, shaking, and headache since March 2020 was also evaluated. Then, the capability to predict the evaluated symptoms concerning the presence of antibodies was calculated. RESULTS A total of 18,000 individuals were interviewed and 181 had antibodies against COVID-19 in phases 5 to 8. The proportion of asymptomatic individuals was 19.9% among participants with antibodies and 49.7% among those without antibodies. All symptoms were reported more frequently by individuals with antibodies. The division of the prevalence of symptoms among individuals with antibodies by the prevalence among individuals without antibodies showed the following prevalence ratios: for changes in smell or taste (9.1), fever (4.2), tremors (3.9), breathing difficulty (3.2) and cough (2.8 times). Anosmia and fever were the symptoms with a greater capability to predict the presence of antibodies. CONCLUSION The prevalence of symptoms was higher among individuals with antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. The proportion of asymptomatic individuals was low. Altered smell or taste and fever were the symptoms that most predict the presence of antibodies. These results can help to identify probable cases, contributing to the clinical diagnosis and screening of patients for testing and isolation guidance in positive cases, especially in scenarios of the scarcity of diagnostic COVID-19 tests.

Insufficient social distancing may contribute to COVID-19 outbreak: The case of Ijuí city in Brazil.

The coronavirus disease that emerged in 2019 (COVID-19) is highly contagious and has given way to a global pandemic. A present COVID-19 has high transmission rates worldwide, including in small Brazilian cities such as Ijuí. Located in the northwest part of the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) and with a population of 83,475, Ijuí was selected as the site of a population-based survey involving 2,222 subjects, from April to June 2020. Subjects were tested for the presence of antibodies against coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and answered questions regarding social distance adherence (SDA), daily preventive routines (DPR), comorbidities, and sociodemographic characteristics. In parallel, the local government registered the official COVID-19 cases in Ijuí, as well as the mobile social distancing index (MSDI). In this study, we demonstrate that there was a decrease in the levels of SDA, DPR and MSDI before the beginning of COVID-19 community transmission in Ijuí. Furthermore, we provide predictions for the number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in the city. We conclude that insufficient social distancing, as evidenced by different methods, may be related to the rapid increase of COVID-19 cases in Ijuí. Our study predicts an approaching outbreak of COVID-19 in Ijuí through community spread, which could be avoided or attenuated with increased levels of social distancing among the population.