Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Safety of the BNT162b2 COVID-19 Vaccine in the Vaccination Campaign among the Health Workers of Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS

Domenico Pascucci, Mario Cesare Nurchis, Martina Sapienza, Francesco Castrini, Flavia Beccia, Floriana D’Ambrosio, Adriano Grossi, Carolina Castagna, Angelo Maria Pezzullo, Maurizio Zega, Domenico Staiti, Francesco Maria De Simone, Nadia Mores, Andrea Cambieri, Giuseppe Vetrugno, Gianfranco Damiani and Patrizia Laurenti
Additional contact information
Domenico Pascucci: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
Mario Cesare Nurchis: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
Martina Sapienza: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
Francesco Castrini: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
Flavia Beccia: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
Floriana D’Ambrosio: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
Adriano Grossi: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
Carolina Castagna: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
Angelo Maria Pezzullo: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
Maurizio Zega: Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
Domenico Staiti: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
Francesco Maria De Simone: Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
Nadia Mores: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
Andrea Cambieri: Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
Giuseppe Vetrugno: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
Gianfranco Damiani: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
Patrizia Laurenti: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 21, 1-12

Abstract: Health workers, especially those in patient-facing roles, had a significantly increased risk of COVID-19 infection, having serious outcomes, and risking spreading the virus to patients and staff. Vaccination campaign planning suggests allocating initial supplies of BNT162b2 vaccine to health workers given the importance of early protection to safeguard the continuity of care to patients. The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness and safety of BNT162b2 vaccine among the health workers of Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS (FPG). The retrospective cohort study was conducted among health staff working at the FPG. Vaccination data were collected from hospital records. The primary end points were vaccine effectiveness and safety. A total of 6649 health workers were included, of whom 5162 received injections. There were 14 cases of COVID-19 with onset at least 14 days after the second dose among vaccinated health workers and 45 cases among unvaccinated ones. BNT162b2 was 91.5% effective against COVID-19 (95% credible interval, 84.7% to 95.3%). The safety profile of BNT162b2 vaccine consisted of short-term, non-serious events. The promotion and boost of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign represents a key public health measure useful to curb the spread of the pandemic especially in vulnerable contexts, such as hospitals, where health workers carry out a paramount role for the entire community, and requires further protection with a possible booster dose in view of autumn-winter 2021.

Keywords: effectiveness; safety; health workers; vaccine; vaccination campaign; COVID-19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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