Impact that the COVID‐19 pandemic on routine childhood vaccinations and challenges ahead: A narrative review

Abstract

Aim To document the decline in vaccination coverage in the first months of 2020 as an indirect effect of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods We performed a literature review in medical databases. Overall, 143 articles were initially retrieved, out of which 48 were selected and included in the review. Results Our review retrieved similar data in many countries worldwide, and, globally, preliminary data from the first 4 months of 2020 indicate a decline in diphtheria‐tetanus‐pertussis coverage, generally considered the marker of vaccination coverage across countries. World Health Organization recommends maintaining vaccination services, prioritising primary series vaccinations especially for measles‐rubella or poliomyelitis, but it also lets each country decide whether to maintain the immunisation services evaluating the current epidemiology of vaccine‐preventable diseases and the COVID‐19 local transmission scenario. Successively, recovering of vaccinations should be planned. Moreover, during the pandemic, influenza vaccination should be promoted as a central public health measure. Conclusion Future challenges will be to maintain the vaccination programmes, especially in children younger than 2 years old and adolescents, to plan the recovery of vaccinations for subjects who postponed them during the lockdown, and to early identify any vaccine‐preventable disease outbreak.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Neurologic Manifestations in Hospitalized Children Diagnosed with Acute SARS-CoV-2 or MIS-C

“…Studies regarding treatment efficacy of interventions in children with neurologic manifestations in SARS-CoV-2-related conditions are vitally needed. Finally, important health effects and inequalities are emerging from the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic including poor access to healthcare and education 25 , 26 , exposure to maltreatment 27 , developmentally important experiences 28 , and parental loss 29 , 30 .…”

The rising of old foes: impact of lockdown periods on “non-SARS-CoV-2” viral respiratory and gastrointestinal infections

“…Missed opportunities in routine immunizations because of the interruption of standard vaccination schedules may aggravate this development in the months to come. Of note, recent data show that up to 22% of children in Europe have missed a routine immunization visit in 2020 [ 11 ].…”

Impact of COVID-19 Disruptions on Global BCG Coverage and Paediatric TB Mortality: A Modelling Study

“…Scenarios B1 to B7, that assumed a 6-month disruption period, resulted in a greater overall reduction and delay in vaccine delivery, compared to scenarios A1 to A7, that assumed a 3-month disruption period. 2 13.2% 8% 3…”

“…On 22 May 2020, Gavi (the Vaccine Alliance), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned of approximately 80 million children at risk of missing their childhood vaccination [1,2]. Transport delays and logistical problems threaten vaccine shipments, making low-and middle-income countries (LMIC) especially vulnerable to stockouts and insufficient resources for maintaining vaccine programs [3].…”

“…Multiple studies have begun to quantify the reduction in routine paediatric immunisations in various regions due to COVID-19 [10,11]. A systematic review of the impact of COVID-19-related disruption to immunisations found a significant drop in vaccine coverage in 2020, particularly noting reductions in measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), poliomyelitis, and influenza vaccinations [2]. This review only included one specific study on BCG disruption, noting a 41% vaccine coverage decline in Pakistan [12].…”