Indian Journal of Medical Specialities

ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Year
: 2022  |  Volume : 13  |  Issue : 4  |  Page : 216--220

Effect of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on severity and outcome of COVID-19 among health-care workers of a tertiary care hospital in India


Rajni Gaind1, Neeraj Kumar Gupta2, Ravindra Nath3, Nilushree Srivastava1, Tanushree Gahlot1, Pranav Ish2, Nitesh Gupta2 
1 Department of Microbiology, VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
2 Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
3 Department of Community Medicine, VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India

Correspondence Address:
Dr. Pranav Ish
Room Number 638, Superspeciality Block, VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi - 110 029
India

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 vaccines decrease the risk of infection. However, data on the utility of vaccines in decreasing the severity of COVID-19 need to be evaluated. This study was carried out with the primary objective to assess the severity and clinical outcome of COVID-19 infections among unvaccinated and vaccinated health-care workers (HCWs). Methods: This was a hospital-based retrospective cohort study including all HCWs who developed microbiologically confirmed COVID-19 over 6 months from January 31, 2021, to July 31, 2021 (during the second wave of COVID-19 in India). Data were recorded through a questionnaire which included demographic details, primary location of work, history of vaccination with dates, comorbidities, severity of COVID-19, and outcome. HCWs who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 before any dose of the COVID-19 vaccine were included in the “unvaccinated” group. Whereas HCWs who developed SARS-CoV-2 after a single or both doses of vaccine were included in the vaccinated group. The outcome and mortality among the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups were evaluated and compared. Results: The study included 500 HCWs who developed a microbiologically confirmed CVOID-19 infection. It was a predominantly middle-aged population with 247 unvaccinated and 253 vaccinated at the time of developing COVID-19. Only one-fourth of the population (26%) was working in the COVID-19 area and the source of COVID-19 to most was either a COVID-19 patient (39%) or a colleague (38%). Around 13% of the population had comorbidities with cardiovascular disease and diabetes being the most common. The majority of the patients were mild (71%) and most were treated at home in isolation (91%). Only 4% of the study population required intensive care. Among the vaccinated group, COVID-19 infection was predominantly mild and this difference was statistically significant as compared to the nonvaccinated. No difference was found in mortality among the two groups; however, the overall mortality was only 1%. Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 vaccines reduce the severity of COVID-19 besides preventing infections and its spread. This can help in effective care of COVID-19 in home isolation without overburdening the health-care services. More studies including clinical parameters and microbiological components are required to understand the true extent of this protection of vaccines from severe forms of COVID-19.


How to cite this article:
Gaind R, Gupta NK, Nath R, Srivastava N, Gahlot T, Ish P, Gupta N. Effect of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on severity and outcome of COVID-19 among health-care workers of a tertiary care hospital in India.Indian J Med Spec 2022;13:216-220


How to cite this URL:
Gaind R, Gupta NK, Nath R, Srivastava N, Gahlot T, Ish P, Gupta N. Effect of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on severity and outcome of COVID-19 among health-care workers of a tertiary care hospital in India. Indian J Med Spec [serial online] 2022 [cited 2023 Jun 10 ];13:216-220
Available from: http://www.ijms.in/article.asp?issn=0976-2884;year=2022;volume=13;issue=4;spage=216;epage=220;aulast=Gaind;type=0