General vaccination coverage before and during the covid-19 pandemic in Brazil: A cross-sectional study

• Main Author: Manoel, Poliana Zanotto
• Publication Date: 2024
• Other Authors: da Costa , Lindemberg Barreto Mota, dos Santos, Priscila Antão, Silva, Anita de Souza, Bezerra, Antônio Diego Costa
• Format: Article
• Language: eng; por
• Source: Revista Contexto & Saúde (Online)
• Download full: https://www.revistas.unijui.edu.br/index.php/contextoesaude/article/view/14743
• topic: cobertura vacinal; COVID-19; programas de imunização; vacinação; vaccination coverage; COVID-19; immunization programs; vaccination

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to analyze the general vaccination coverage of all immunobiologicals offered by the National Immunization Program (PNI) before (2018-2019) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021) in the Brazilian territory, by region and capital. METHODOLOGY: It was carried out a cross-sectional study, with secondary data from PNI via the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System (DATASUS). Data were tabulated and submitted to statistical tests, including the Shapiro-Wilk test to verify normality and Pearson and Spearman correlation tests. RESULTS: 407,570,811 doses of immunobiologicals were applied in Brazil, the overall average vaccination coverage for the period (2018-2021) was 69.4%, showing a sharp downward trend, which ranged from 75.2% in the pre-pandemic period to 63.7% in the pandemic. CONCLUSION: During the pandemic there was a decrease in national vaccination compared to the period before it, especially in the North and Northeast regions. In this way, the pandemic may have contributed to the reduction of immunizations.