COVID-19 pandemic in Africa’s island nations during the first 9 months: a descriptive study of variation in patterns of infection, severe disease, and response measures

A panel dataset of COVID-19 vaccination policies in 185 countries

We present a panel dataset of COVID-19 vaccine policies, with data from 01 January 2020 for 185 countries and a number of subnational jurisdictions, reporting on vaccination prioritization plans, eligibility and availability, cost to the individual and mandatory vaccination policies. For each of these indicators, we recorded who is targeted by a policy using 52 standardized categories. These indicators document a detailed picture of the unprecedented scale of international COVID-19 vaccination rollout and strategy, indicating which countries prioritized and vaccinated which groups, when and in what order. We highlight key descriptive findings from these data to demonstrate uses for the data and to encourage researchers and policymakers in future research and vaccination planning. Numerous patterns and trends begin to emerge. For example: 'eliminator' countries (those that aimed to prevent virus entry into the country and community transmission) tended to prioritize border workers and economic sectors, while 'mitigator' countries (those that aimed to reduce the impact of community transmission) tended to prioritize the elderly and healthcare sectors for the first COVID-19 vaccinations; high-income countries published prioritization plans and began vaccinations earlier than low- and middle-income countries. Fifty-five countries were found to have implemented at least one policy of mandatory vaccination. We also demonstrate the value of combining this data with vaccination uptake rates, vaccine supply and demand data, and with further COVID-19 epidemiological data.

The role of universal health coverage and global health security nexus and interplay on SARS-CoV-2 infection and case-fatality rates in Africa : a structural equation modeling approach

BACKGROUND

The Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 infections remains a significant health challenge worldwide. There is paucity of evidence on the influence of the universal health coverage (UHC) and global health security (GHS) nexus on SARS-CoV-2 infection risk and outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the effects of UHC and GHS nexus and interplay on SARS-CoV-2 infection rate and case-fatality rates (CFR) in Africa.

METHODS

The study employed descriptive methods to analyze the data drawn from multiple sources as well used structural equation modeling (SEM) with maximum likelihood estimation to model and assess the relationships between independent and dependent variables by performing path analysis.

RESULTS

In Africa, 100% and 18% of the effects of GHS on SARS-CoV-2 infection and RT-PCR CFR, respectively were direct. Increased SARS-CoV-2 CFR was associated with median age of the national population (β = -0.1244, [95% CI: -0.24, -0.01], P = 0.031 ); COVID-19 infection rate (β = -0.370, [95% CI: -0.66, -0.08], P = 0.012 ); and prevalence of obesity among adults aged 18 + years (β = 0.128, [95% CI: 0.06,0.20], P = 0.0001) were statistically significant. SARS-CoV-2 infection rates were strongly linked to median age of the national population (β = 0.118, [95% CI: 0.02,0.22 ], P = 0.024); population density per square kilometer, (β = -0.003, [95% CI: -0.0058, -0.00059], P = 0.016 ) and UHC for service coverage index (β = 0.089, [95% CI: 0.04,0.14, P = 0.001 ) in which their relationship was statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

The study shade a light that UHC for service coverage, and median age of the national population, population density have significant effect on COVID-19 infection rate while COVID-19 infection rate, median age of the national population and prevalence of obesity among adults aged 18 + years were associated with COVID-19 case-fatality rate. Both, UHC and GHS do not emerge to protect against COVID-19-related case fatality rate.

The Practice of Post-vaccination COVID-19 Prevention Strategy Among Healthcare Professionals in Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory illness first discovered and identified in China. Countries are taking precautions to prevent COVID-19 in accordance with WHO guidelines.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to assess the practice of the COVID-19 prevention strategy post-vaccination and associated factors among health care professionals in Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital, Bahir Dar, Northwest Ethiopia, in 2021.

METHODS

An institutional-based cross-sectional study was carried out at Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital, Bahir Dar. Data were entered into Epi-Info software, version 7.1, and exported to SPSS, version 23, for analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents. The crude odds ratio (COR) and the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% CI were calculated to determine the coefficient of the COVID-19 prevention strategy.

RESULTS

In this study, 68.7% (95% CI: 63.7, 73.8) of health care professionals had good practice of the COVID-19 prevention strategy post-vaccination. Sex (AOR: 1.76; 95% CI: 1.08, 2.89), marital status (AOR: 1.75; 95% CI: 1.09, 2.93), and good attitude toward vaccination (AOR: 3.24; 95% CI: 2.13, 5.48) were significantly associated with the practice of COVID-19 prevention strategies post vaccination.

CONCLUSIONS

The practices of COVID-19 preventive strategies post-vaccination were good among healthcare professionals. Good attitude toward vaccination, sex (male), marital status (married) were factors determining the occurrences of COVID-19 preventive strategies post-vaccination.