Abstract
Background: The lack of specific vaccines or drugs against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) warrants studies focusing on alternative clinical approaches to reduce the spread of this pandemic disease. In this study, we investigated whether anti-influenza vaccination plays a role in minimizing the diffusion of COVID-19 in the Italian population aged 65 and over. Methods: Four COVID-19 outcomes were used: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) seroprevalence, hospitalizations for COVID-19 symptoms, admissions to intensive care units for reasons related to SARS-CoV-2, and deaths attributable to COVID-19. Results: At univariate analyses, the influenza vaccination coverage rates correlated negatively with all COVID-19 outcomes (Beta ranging from −134 to −0.61; all p < 0.01). At multivariable analyses, influenza vaccination coverage rates correlated independently with SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence (Beta (95% C.I.): −130 (−198, −62); p = 0.001), hospitalizations for COVID-19 symptoms (Beta (95% C.I.): −4.16 (−6.27, −2.05); p = 0.001), admission to intensive care units for reasons related to SARS-CoV-2 (Beta (95% C.I.): −0.58 (−1.05, −0.12); p = 0.017), and number of deaths attributable to COVID-19 (Beta (95% C.I.): −3.29 (−5.66, −0.93); p = 0.010). The R2 observed in the unadjusted analysis increased from 82% to 159% for all the considered outcomes after multivariable analyses. Conclusions: In the Italian population, the coverage rate of the influenza vaccination in people aged 65 and over is associated with a reduced spread and a less severe clinical expression of COVID-19. This finding warrants ad hoc studies to investigate the role of influenza vaccination in preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Highlights
IntroductionIn December 2019, an outbreak of COVID-19, an atypical pneumonia associated to a novel coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; SARS-CoV-2) was detected in Wuhan, Hubei province, China.Epidemiological data showed that SARS-CoV-2 mainly infects and threatens the health of the elderly and subjects with comorbidities, such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and lung diseases [1]
In December 2019, an outbreak of COVID-19, an atypical pneumonia associated to a novel coronavirus was detected in Wuhan, Hubei province, China.Epidemiological data showed that SARS-CoV-2 mainly infects and threatens the health of the elderly and subjects with comorbidities, such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and lung diseases [1]
Concerning the role of potential confounders themselves, we found that the import–export with China was positively associated with the SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence (p < 0.0001), with COVID-19 related hospitalization (p = 0.032), and with COVID-19-related deaths (p = 0.004), whereas the mortality from cardiovascular diseases was positively associated with COVID-19 related hospitalizations (p = 0.029)
Summary
In December 2019, an outbreak of COVID-19, an atypical pneumonia associated to a novel coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; SARS-CoV-2) was detected in Wuhan, Hubei province, China.Epidemiological data showed that SARS-CoV-2 mainly infects and threatens the health of the elderly and subjects with comorbidities, such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and lung diseases [1]. The diseases caused by influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 both share a similar route of transmission (i.e., through aerosolized or respiratory droplets) and some respiratory and systemic symptoms, but they strongly differ in terms of rates of severe and fatal cases [5], and peculiarly, of the age groups predominantly affected. Conclusions: In the Italian population, the coverage rate of the influenza vaccination in people aged 65 and over is associated with a reduced spread and a less severe clinical expression of COVID-19. This finding warrants ad hoc studies to investigate the role of influenza vaccination in preventing the spread of COVID-19
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