Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 17, 2025

Fabrication of Pulsatile Polymeric Microparticles Encapsulating Rabies Antigen
07:44

Fabrication of Pulsatile Polymeric Microparticles Encapsulating Rabies Antigen

Published on: May 12, 2023

1.3K

Tracking the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine infant vaccinations in the Dominican Republic

Manuel Colomé-Hidalgo1,2, Juan Donado Campos3, Ángel Gil de Miguel1

  • 1Departamento de Especialidades Médicas y Salud Pública, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain.

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics
|October 13, 2021
PubMed

Insights

The COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted vaccination services in the Dominican Republic, leading to significant drops in infant immunization coverage and a rise in unvaccinated infants. Urgent interventions are needed to restore routine vaccination programs and prevent disease outbreaks.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Global Health

Background:

  • COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread disruptions to essential health services, including routine childhood immunizations.
  • Millions of infants worldwide remain vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases due to interrupted vaccination programs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the vaccination program's performance in the Dominican Republic.
  • To compare vaccination coverage, dropout rates, and the number of unvaccinated/partially vaccinated infants before and during the pandemic.

Main Methods:

  • Ecological study design comparing 2019 (pre-pandemic) and 2020 (pandemic) annual public vaccination coverage data.
  • Analysis of trends in vaccine coverage, dropout rates, and number of partially/unvaccinated infants.
  • Geographic analysis by COVID-19 incidence and Human Development Index.

Main Results:

  • Overall vaccine coverage declined by 10.4%, with pentavalent vaccine (Penta3) coverage dropping from 90.1% to 81.1%.
  • The number of partially vaccinated infants increased by 66% (34,185) and unvaccinated infants by 376% (5,593).
  • Dropout rates correlated with COVID-19 cases, and Penta3 coverage changes were associated with the Human Development Index.

Conclusions:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic significantly weakened the Dominican Republic's routine vaccination program performance.
  • There is a critical need for interventions to recover and maintain vaccination coverage, especially in less developed areas.
  • Failure to address coverage gaps increases the risk of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.

Keywords:
COVID-19immunization coveragepublic healthroutine immunizationvaccination

More Related Videos

Intranasal Immunization and Milk Collection in Studies of Maternal Immunization in New Zealand White Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus13:00

Intranasal Immunization and Milk Collection in Studies of Maternal Immunization in New Zealand White Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus

Published on: July 31, 2021

3.8K
Sublingual Immunotherapy as an Alternative to Induce Protection Against Acute Respiratory Infections16:56

Sublingual Immunotherapy as an Alternative to Induce Protection Against Acute Respiratory Infections

Published on: August 30, 2014

17.2K

Related Concept Videos

Vaccinations01:51

Vaccinations

Overview
46.3K
Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
41
Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection01:26

Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection

The hosts' susceptibility to infection depends on several factors. The integrity of the skin and mucous membranes helps protect the body against microbial attacks. When the skin is altered, the chance of infection, limb loss, and even death increases.
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
12.8K
Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures01:22

Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures

Essential infection prevention measures are based on the knowledge of the infection chain, the modes of transmission in healthcare settings, and the use of the best practices in all healthcare settings. Compulsory public reporting of healthcare-associated infection rates is needed to allow individuals and the community to make informed choices regarding selecting a healthcare facility.
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
3.2K
Teratogenicity01:07

Teratogenicity

The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...
3.0K
Preventive Healthcare Services01:30

Preventive Healthcare Services

Preventive healthcare services keep people healthy via frequent check-ups, screening, and counseling. They primarily aid in disease prevention rather than treating an acute or chronic illness. Preventive treatment also keeps individuals productive and energetic, allowing them to work well into their retirement years. Examples of preventive care services include:
1.2K