RESUMO
We aimed to assess the reported rate of flu vaccination in the season 2019/2020 in respondents to the Italian nationwide online EPICOVID 19 survey. A national convenience sample of volunteers aged 18 or older was assessed between 13th April and 2nd June 2020. Flu vaccine rates were calculated for all classes of age. The association between the independent variables and the flu vaccine was assessed by applying a multivariable binary logistic regression model. Of the 198,822 respondents 41,818 (21.0%) reported to have received a flu vaccination shot during the last influenza season. In particular, 15,009 (53.4%) subjects aged 65 years or older received a flu vaccination shot. Being 65 years aged or older (aOR 3.06, 95%CI 2.92-3.20) and having a high education level (aOR 1.34. 95%CI 1.28-1.41) were independently associated to flu vaccination. Heart and lung diseases were the morbidities associated with the higher odds of being vaccinated [aOR 1.97 (95%CI 1.86-2.09) and aOR 1.92 (95%CI 1.84-2.01), respectively]. Nursing home residents aged [≥] 65 years showed a lower odds of being vaccinated [aOR 0.39 (95%CI 0.28-0.54)]. Our data claims for an urgent public heath effort to fill the gap of missed vaccination opportunities reported in the past flu seasons.
RESUMO
We examined data on the progression of COVID-19 epidemics in four regions in northern Italy. Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, and Piedmont had an extremely steeper increase in mortality with increasing number of tests performed than Veneto, which applied a policy of broader swab testing. This suggests that the strategy adopted in Veneto, similar to that in South Korea, is effective in containing COVID-19 epidemics and should be applied in other regions of Italy and countries in Europe. On February 20, 2020, a first autochthonous case of COVID-19 respiratory disease was observed in Lombardy, Italy (1), soon followed by a second patient in Veneto, which borders Lombardy. Since then, the outbreak has rapidly expanded, mostly in regions in northern Italy (2). Initially, epidemiological surveillance and strategies for swab testing were under control of regional healthcare authorities. On February 25, the Italian Ministry of Health issued more stringent testing policies for application of swabs to identify COVID-19 cases, prioritizing patients with respiratory symptoms and possible COVID-19 contacts who required hospitalization. Most regions promptly complied with these recommendations, whereas Veneto maintained its policy, implemented after the occurrence of the first cases, of extensive testing and isolation of positive cases (3). Surprisingly, the debate stemming from these different regional policies valued international more than Italian evidences (4). We aimed at assessing, using data from the first month of the Italian experience, how different policies for swab testing may impact on the initial progression of COVID-19 epidemics. Data were obtained from the reports of the Italian Department of Civil Protection, issued since February 24, which include daily number of swabs performed and deaths from COVID-19 in each region (5). We compared Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, and Piedmont, three regions in northern Italy that closely followed the recommendations for restrictive COVID-19 testing, and Veneto, which applied a policy of broader testing (3). Conflict of interestNone declared. Funding statementNo funding.
