Comparative Analysis of the Implication of Periods Before and During Vaccination of COVID-19 Infection in Some Regional Leading African Countries

Abstract

There has been a high expectation about the efficacy of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. This research investigates and compares the efficiency of COVID-19 vaccines in five (5) African countries and evaluates the risk or preventive factors inherent in COVID-19 spread. Five different COVID-19 leading African countries in their respective regions (Nigeria, Ethiopia, South Africa, Morocco, and Cameroon) were considered in this study. Population sampling proportional to size concept was used to draw data for two periods (before and during COVID-19 vaccination). A sequential analysis approach was adopted, focusing on the estimates of some epidemiological metrics for the two distinct periods. Nigeria (a wet region) has the lowest risk of COVID-19 incidence during vaccination. The risk of being reported COVID-19 positive in South Africa (a high semi-arid region) is approximately 137 times the number in Nigeria. This study suggests that while vaccination has successfully reduced the case fatality rate in most countries considered except Ethiopia, infection and incidence rates increase during vaccination in all countries except Nigeria. Methods other than vaccination like wearing a face mask, washing hands, and avoiding large gatherings should be intensified to curtail incidence and infection rates.