Number of Doses of Measles-Mumps-Rubeola Vaccine Applied in Brazil Before and During The COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background Due to the social isolation measures adopted in an attempt to mitigate the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2, there has been a reduction in vaccination coverage of children and adolescents in several countries and regions of the world. Objective Analyze the number of doses of vaccine against Measles-Mumps-Rubeola (MMR) applied before and after the beginning of mitigation measures due to COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Methods Ecological study, with data from the National Immunization Program. The Mann-Whitney test evaluated differences between the median number of MMR vaccine doses applied in Brazilian regions, states and municipalities during April/2019 to March/2020 (before the beginning of mitigation measures) and April/2020 to September/2020 (after the start of mitigation measures). Spatial analysis identified clusters with a high percentage of reduction in the median of applied doses, and interpreted according to the Global Moran’s Index (I). All analyzes considered the significance level of 5%. Results There was a reduction in the median of doses applied in the Regions: North (-33.03%), Northeast (-43.49%) and South (-39.01%). In States: Acre (-48.46%), Amazonas (-28.96%), Roraima (-61.91%), Paraíba (-41.58%), Sergipe (-47.52%), Rio de Janeiro (-59.31%) and Santa Catarina (-49.32) (p < 0.05). High-high type spatial clusters (reduction between 34.00 to 90.00%) were formed in the five regions of Brazil (Moran’s I = 0.055; p = 0.01). Conclusion A reduction in the number of MMR vaccine doses was evidenced as a possible effect by the restrictive actions of COVID-19 in Brazil.