Cobertura vacinal pré-Sars-Cov2 em crianças menores de cinco anos e morbimortalidade/vacinação geral referentes à COVID-19 em Minas Gerais: perspectivas e desafios

Abstract

The importance of vaccination coverage has been studied for years as a public health strategy to protect the population against morbidity and mortality and, with the emergence of the COVID-19 Pandemic, this subject has become even more relevant. In this context, the objective of this study was to analyze pre-Sars-Cov-2 vaccination coverage, morbidity and mortality indicators and vaccination related to COVID-19 in Minas Gerais and the related challenges. This is an ecological descriptive study. Regarding vaccines up to the age of five in the period from 2015 to 2021 in the state of Minas Gerais, a reduction in vaccination coverage was observed, which highlights the importance of carrying out actions that may change this scenario so that vaccine-preventable diseases do not become reemerging in the state. Regarding the data on vaccination against COVID-19 in that state, collected until July 2022, it was evident that the mortality rate is closely linked to vaccination coverage, since with the increase in the doses of vaccines applied, a decline can be seen in the number of deaths. The reduction in deaths from COVID-19 persisted even with a significant increase in cases of the disease, as occurred in early 2022, due to the high transmissibility of the omicron variant. The mortality rate did not increase in the same proportion as the increase in incidence. It was also noticed that the entire process of vaccination against COVID-19 went through several difficulties, but the results show that this was the measure adopted with the greatest impact on controlling the pandemic, reinforcing the relevance of vaccination. This study advanced knowledge by analyzing vaccination coverage in the State of Minas Gerais pre-SarsCov-2 regarding vaccines for children up to five years of age, by describing the behavior of incidence rates, mortality rates and vaccination coverage regarding COVID -19 in the population of Minas Gerais, and when discussing the challenges faced by nurses in conducting the Vaccination Campaign against COVID-19 during the pandemic. It appears that investigating vaccination coverage, knowing and understanding the challenges of the vaccination process is essential for creating actions that will overcome difficulties and thus reduce morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 and other vaccine-preventable diseases.