Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination coverage: an ecological study of primary health care and socio-economic factors in Catalonia, Spain.

This study examined the association of socio-economic factors and the structure of primary care centres (PCCs) with measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination coverage among the 8-year-old population in Catalonia, Spain. We conducted an ecological study to retrospectively assess the MMR vaccination-recorded status of children born in 2012, using public health data extracted in December 2020. For each of 300 PCCs serving 70,498 children, we calculated vaccination coverage rates from electronic health records and linked these rates to a composite deprivation index corresponding to the territory served by each PCC. We identified a relationship between unfavourable socio-economic factors and higher recorded vaccination coverage. On average, directly managed PCCs had higher vaccination coverage rates than indirectly managed PCCs. Greater utilisation of primary care services by the population was also associated with higher vaccination coverage rates. Further research is needed to generate knowledge valuable for informing more equitable child-vaccination service delivery models.

Impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on routine childhood vaccination coverage rates in Catalonia (Spain): a public health register-based study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the lockdown measures adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic on routine childhood vaccination coverage rates in Catalonia (Spain) and to estimate its recovery once the progressive return to 'normalcy' had begun. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a public health register-based study. METHODS: Routine childhood vaccination coverage rates were analysed in three periods: a first pre-lockdown period (from January 2019 to February 2020), a second lockdown period with full restrictions (from March 2020 to June 2020), and, finally, a third post-lockdown period with partial restrictions (from July 2020 to December 2021). RESULTS: During the lockdown period, most of the coverage rates remained stable, concerning the pre-lockdown period; however, when comparing the vaccination coverage rates in the post-lockdown period to the pre-lockdown period, we observed decreases in all types of vaccines and doses analysed, except for coverage with the PCV13 vaccine in 2-year-olds, which experienced an increase. The most relevant reductions were observed in measles-mumps-rubella and diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis vaccination coverage rates. CONCLUSIONS: Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an overall decline in routine childhood vaccine coverage rates, and the pre-pandemic rates have not yet been recovered. Immediate and long-term support strategies must be maintained and strengthened to restore and sustain routine childhood vaccination.

Associations of BNT162b2 vaccination with SARS-CoV-2 infection and hospital admission and death with covid-19 in nursing homes and healthcare workers in Catalonia: prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine associations of BNT162b2 vaccination with SARS-CoV-2 infection and hospital admission and death with covid-19 among nursing home residents, nursing home staff, and healthcare workers. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Nursing homes and linked electronic medical record, test, and mortality data in Catalonia on 27 December 2020. PARTICIPANTS: 28 456 nursing home residents, 26 170 nursing home staff, and 61 791 healthcare workers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants were followed until the earliest outcome (confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, hospital admission or death with covid-19) or 26 May 2021. Vaccination status was introduced as a time varying exposure, with a 14 day run-in after the first dose. Mixed effects Cox models were fitted to estimate hazard ratios with index month as a fixed effect and adjusted for confounders including sociodemographics, comorbidity, and previous medicine use. RESULTS: Among the nursing home residents, SARS-CoV-2 infection was found in 2482, 411 were admitted to hospital with covid-19, and 450 died with covid-19 during the study period. In parallel, 1828 nursing home staff and 2968 healthcare workers were found to have SARS-CoV-2 infection, but fewer than five were admitted or died with covid-19. The adjusted hazard ratio for SARS-CoV-2 infection after two doses of vaccine was 0.09 (95% confidence interval 0.08 to 0.11) for nursing home residents, 0.20 (0.17 to 0.24) for nursing home staff, and 0.13 (0.11 to 0.16) for healthcare workers. Adjusted hazard ratios for hospital admission and mortality after two doses of vaccine were 0.05 (0.04 to 0.07) and 0.03 (0.02 to 0.04), respectively, for nursing home residents. Nursing home staff and healthcare workers recorded insufficient events for mortality analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccination was associated with 80-91% reduction in SARS-CoV-2 infection in all three cohorts and greater reductions in hospital admissions and mortality among nursing home residents for up to five months. More data are needed on longer term effects of covid-19 vaccines.