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LETTER TO EDITOR |
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Year : 2023 | Volume
: 14
| Issue : 1 | Page : 21 |
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COVID-19 vaccination and usefulness in prevention of mortality among the elderly: An analysis
Beuy Joob1, Viroj Wiwanitkit2
1 Sanitation 1 Medical Academic Center, Bangkok, Thailand 2 Department of Community Medicine, Dr DY Patil Vidhayapeeth, Pune, India; Adjunct Professor, Department of Biological Science, Joseph Ayobabalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji, Nigeria
Date of Submission | 25-Jan-2021 |
Date of Acceptance | 01-Feb-2021 |
Date of Web Publication | 25-Feb-2023 |
Correspondence Address: Beuy Joob Sanitation 1 Medical Academic Center, Bangkok Thailand
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/ijpvm.ijpvm_27_21
How to cite this article: Joob B, Wiwanitkit V. COVID-19 vaccination and usefulness in prevention of mortality among the elderly: An analysis. Int J Prev Med 2023;14:21 |
Dear editor, COVID-19 is the new vaccine that becomes the hope for COVID-19 containment at present. Since COVID-19 pandemic is still the worldwide problem, the newly available vaccine is urgently registered and used in many countries. The main consideration is on the efficacy and safety of the new vaccine. Although there are some reports on COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials, the data are from studies among healthy adult subjects.[1],[2] The specific clinical data on some specific population, such as pediatric, geriatric, and pregnant subjects, are absent. Nevertheless, the vaccine is recommended by local experts in some countries for using for some specific risk group including to the elderly. Due to the lack of clinical evidence, it requires a systematic evaluation before judgment whether the vaccination for the elderly is appropriate or not.[3]
Here, the authors focus interest on COVID-19 vaccination and usefulness in prevention of mortality among the elderly. A clinical mathematical modelling study is done. The primary data are the data on vaccine efficacy (preventive rate),[4],[5] the data on mortality rate among the elderly with COVID-19,[6],[7] and the death rate after getting COVID-19 vaccine among the elderly (0.115%).[8] A simulation study comparing the mortality rate in alternative node using versus no using COVID-19 vaccine is done. For calculation, the expected mortality rate in no using COVID-19 vaccine is directly quoted from primary data on naïve mortality rate of naïve case when there is no vaccine. Regarding the mortality rate in using COVID-19 vaccine, the expected mortality rate is calculate by [(1 – protective rate or vaccine efficacy) × naïve mortality rate] + [report post vaccine death rate]. According to the analysis, the final expected mortality rate is lower in the alternative using COVID-19 vaccine [Table 1]. Giving COVID-19 vaccine can reduce mortality in the elderly up to 5.5465%-24.85%. Therefore, it is recommended that COVID-19 vaccination should be given for the elderly. | Table 1: Comparison between the expected mortality rate in alternative node using versus no using COVID-19 vaccine
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Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
References | |  |
1. | Zhu FC, Li YH, Guan XH, Hou LH, Wang WJ, Li JX, et al. Safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of a recombinant adenovirus type-5 vectored COVID-19 vaccine: A dose-escalation, open-label, non-randomised, first-in-human trial. Lancet 2020;395:1845-54. |
2. | Palacios R, Patiño EG, de Oliveira Piorelli R, Conde MTRP, Batista AP, Zeng G, et al. Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase III clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of treating healthcare professionals with the adsorbed COVID-19 (Inactivated) vaccine manufactured by sinovac - PROFISCOV: A structured summary of a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials 2020;21:853. |
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4. | Knoll MD, Wonodi C. Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine efficacy. Lancet 2021;397:72-4. |
5. | Lipsitch M, Dean NE. Understanding COVID-19 vaccine efficacy. Science 2020;370:763-5. |
6. | Shahid Z, Kalayanamitra R, McClafferty B, Kepko D, Ramgobin D, Patel R, et al. COVID-19 and older adults: What we know. J Am Geriatr Soc 2020;68:926-9. |
7. | Kang SJ, Jung SI. Age-related morbidity and mortality among patients with COVID-19. Infect Chemother 2020;52:154-64. |
8. | Torjesen I. Covid-19: Norway investigates 23 deaths in frail elderly patients after vaccination. BMJ 2021;372:149. |
[Table 1]
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