The assistance gaps in combating COVID-19 in Brazil: for whom, where and when vaccination occurs

Following the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of infected Brazilian people has increased dramatically since February 2020, with Brazil being amongst the countries with the highest number of cases and deaths. Brazilian vaccination began in January 2021, aimed at priority groups. This study analysed the spatial and temporal evolution of vaccination in Brazil between the 3rd and 21st epidemiological weeks (EW) of 2021.

Spatial and temporal analyses were performed comprising 19 EW. Cases were structured into priority groups-elderly population (EP); healthcare workers (HW); indigenous and quilombola populations (I/Q), dose, vaccine (CoronaVac or AstraZeneca), and place of vaccination. A sweep test was performed to identify vaccination rate clusters. Vaccination rates (VR) were calculated according to a spatial window for each Health Region, indicating clusters above/below expected VR. Based on the discrete Poisson probability model, spatial analysis was performed to detect high/low VR clusters, which were converted into Kernel maps. Points were generated from SaTScan analyses associated with Health Region centroids. Temporal analysis of VR was carried out to identify significant trends, and results were converted into temporal cluster graphs. P-value ≤ 0.05 was adopted.

Southeast region concentrated most of the vaccines of EP and HW, followed by the Northeast. The latter region had the largest contingent of I/Q vaccinated. In all priority age groups and all regions, a higher percentage of complete CoronaVac vaccination schedules were observed compared with AstraZeneca. The temporal analysis identified high VR clusters of CoronaVac first and second dose in the early weeks, except for the EP; of AstraZeneca first dose, only for HW in the early weeks, and for EP and I/Q in the final weeks; of AstraZeneca second dose for all priority groups in the final weeks. I/Q populations had the lowest general VR. The spatial profile of VR indicated significant regional cluster differences between the priority groups.

This study highlights the importance of establishing vaccination priority groups, considering the asymmetries that a pandemic can trigger, notably in vast geographic areas, to contemplate the main objective of vaccination: to prevent casualties.