Effect of Initial Two Years of COVID-19 Pandemic on Coverage of Various Types of Vaccines Covered under the National Immunization Schedule in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Rajasthan, India

Introduction: Immunization is one of the most cost-effective public health interventions that has saved countless children's lives. However, the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in India having 2.7 million unvaccinated children due to the interruption of regular immunization services. The present study, conducted in a tertiary-care hospital in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, aimed to estimate the changes in vaccine coverage during the first two years of the pandemic.

Methods: This retrospective record-based ecological study was conducted at paediatric tertiary-care hospital, Jaipur. Data of number of doses of each vaccine administered to children (0-16 years) as per the National Immunization Schedule for the period January 2019 to December 2021 were retrieved from the immunization records. The study looked at the percentage change from pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Simple moving average method was used to depict the trend in vaccine doses administered.

Results: A downward trend was observed in the total doses of vaccines administered in both years 2020 and 2021, with the overall per cent change being -26.4% and -22.5%, respectively. In 2020, a maximum negative difference of -62.4% in the dose of Td (10 years) was recorded, followed by DPT Booster-2 (-51.5%), and in 2021, was recorded a maximum negative difference in the dose of Td (16 years) (-51.4%) followed by OPV-3 and Pentavalent-3 (-36.1% each).

Conclusion: The total vaccine doses administered and the majority of the vaccine under the immunization schedule have shown a negative per cent change extending till December 2021. Monitoring the catch-up immunization levels and strengthening the health system to prevent such future disruption is recommended. Also, awareness through online or offline media can be customized as per caregivers of different age groups of children.