Dash NR, Barqawi HJ, Obaideen AA, Al Chame HQ, Samara KA, Qadri R, Eldesouki S. COVID-19 Breakthrough Infection Among Vaccinated Population in the United Arab Emirates.
J Epidemiol Glob Health 2023;
13:67-90. [PMID:
36795274 PMCID:
PMC9933808 DOI:
10.1007/s44197-023-00090-8]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Despite significant efforts to contain the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic through mass vaccination, numerous nations throughout the world have recorded breakout infections. The incidence and severity of COVID-19 breakthrough infections in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remain unknown despite extensive COVID-19 vaccine coverage. The goal of this research is to establish the characteristics of COVID-19 breakthrough infections in the UAE's vaccinated population.
METHODS
Between February and March 2022, we conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study in the UAE with 1533 participants to examine the characteristics of COVID-19 breakthrough infection among the vaccinated population.
RESULTS
The vaccination coverage was 97.97%, and the COVID-19 breakthrough infection rate was 32.1%, requiring hospitalization in 7.7% of cases. The bulk of the 492 COVID-19 breakthrough infections reported was among young adults (67%), with the majority experiencing mild to moderate symptoms (70.7%) or remaining asymptomatic (21.5%).
CONCLUSIONS
COVID-19 breakthrough infection were reported in younger age, male sex, non-healthcare professions, vaccination with inactivated whole virus vaccine (Sinopharm), and not receiving a booster dose. Information on breakthrough infection in the UAE might influence public health decisions and motivate measures such as providing additional booster doses of the vaccines to the people.
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