Primary series COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness among healthcare workers in Albania, February–December 2021

Rubin-Smith, Julia and Yiseth Rojas Castro, Madelyn and Preza, Iria and Hasibra, Iris and Sulo, Jonilda and Fico, Albana and Daja, Rovena and Vasili, Adela and Kota, Majlinda and Schmid, Alexis and Sridhar, Shela and Guseinova, Alina and Boshevska, Golubinka and Bejtja, Gazmend and Mühlemann, Barbara and Drosten, Christian and Jorgensen, Pernille and Pebody, Richard and Kissling, Esther and E Lafond, Kathryn and A Katz, Mark and Bino, Silvia (2023) Primary series COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness among healthcare workers in Albania, February–December 2021. IJID Regions, 8. pp. 19-27. ISSN 2772-7076

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Abstract

Background: Healthcare workers have experienced high rates of morbidity and mortality from coronavirus disease
2019 (COVID-19).
Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in three Albanian hospitals between 19 February and 14
December 2021. All participants underwent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and serological testing at enrolment,
regular serology throughout, and PCR testing when symptomatic.
Vaccine effectiveness (VE) against COVID-19 and against all severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2
(SARS-CoV-2) infections (symptomatic or asymptomatic) was estimated. VE was estimated using a Cox regression
model, with vaccination status as a time-varying variable.
Findings: In total, 1504 HCWs were enrolled in this study; 70% had evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection.
VE was 65.1% [95% confidence interval (CI) 37.7–80.5] against COVID-19, 58.2% (95% CI 15.7–79.3) among
participants without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, and 73.6% (95% CI 24.3–90.8) among participants with prior
SARS-CoV-2 infection. For BNT162b2 alone, VE was 69.5% (95% CI 44.5–83.2). During the period when the
Delta variant was predominant, VE was 67.1% (95% CI 38.3–82.5). VE against SARS-CoV-2 infection for the full
study period was 36.9% (95% CI 15.8–52.7).
Interpretation: This study found moderate primary series VE against COVID-19 among healthcare workers in
Albania. These results support the continued promotion of COVID-19 vaccination in Albania, and highlight the
benefits of vaccination in populations with high levels of prior infection.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Medical and Health Sciences > Basic medicine Medical and Health Sciences > Clinical medicine Medical and Health Sciences > Health sciences Medical and Health Sciences > Other medical sciences
Divisions:	Faculty of Medical Science
Depositing User:	Golubinka Bosevska
Date Deposited:	02 Oct 2023 10:44
Last Modified:	02 Oct 2023 10:45
URI:	https://eprints.ugd.edu.mk/id/eprint/32293

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