Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on HPV vaccination coverage in the general population and in PLWHs

• Published in: European review for medical and pharmacological sciences Vol. 26; no. 19; p. 7285
• Main Authors: D'Amato, S, Nunnari, G, Trimarchi, G, Squeri, A, Cancellieri, A, Squeri, R, Pellicanò, G F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Italy 01-10-2022
• Subjects: Communicable Disease Control; COVID-19 - prevention & control; Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Pandemics - prevention & control; Papillomavirus Infections - epidemiology; Papillomavirus Infections - prevention & control; Papillomavirus Vaccines - therapeutic use; Retrospective Studies; Vaccination; Vaccination Coverage; Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
• ISSN: 2284-0729

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak as a global pandemic. COVID-19 pandemic has impacted health services, including immunization programs, with a consequent reduction in vaccination coverage in those categories for which the prevention of vaccine-preventable diseases is strongly recommended.
We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study on the general population and on PLWHs, comparing anti-human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage data in 2019, before COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2020 data, after the announcement of the pandemic state and the lockdown and the implementation of restrictive measures to contain the contagion.
Compared to 2019, 2020 data show a 42% reduction in HPV vaccine coverage in the general population and 36% in PLWHs. The greatest reduction in anti-HPV vaccination coverage occurred during periods of greatest restriction and mainly concerned the general population.
The prevention of vaccine-preventable diseases remains essential. Above all, it is essential to increase and recover the anti-HPV vaccine coverage, in consideration of the data that show its preventive oncological efficacy.