Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown on Routine Immunization Coverage and Child Health Services

International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences | Vol. 10, No. 10, October 2020 | pp. 74–82

DOI: 10.46882/2020/IJMMS/100074

Original Research Article

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown on Routine Immunization Coverage and Child Health Services

Evelyn N. Kamau¹, Tunde O. Adebayo², Sarah M. Touré¹*

¹Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.

²Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Abstract:

Public health restrictions and virus transmission fears during pandemic lockdowns present significant barriers to essential pediatric medical care. This descriptive, health facility-based interrupted time-series study quantified the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on routine childhood immunization coverage and pediatric emergency admissions. Routine health management information system (HMIS) records across 15 regional primary healthcare centers were analyzed, comparing a six-month pandemic lockdown period (March to August 2020) against the corresponding pre-pandemic period in 2019. Primary endpoints included delivery rates of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), Pentavalent-3, and Measles-1 vaccines. Data synthesis revealed a sharp, significant decline in overall immunization clinic attendance by 41.5% (p < 0.001) during the lockdown months. Specifically, monthly BCG vaccination rates fell by 34.8%, Pentavalent-3 dropped by 38.2%, and Measles-1 doses administered decreased by 46.5% relative to 2019 baseline markers. Pediatric emergency department presentations for non-COVID illnesses decreased by 52.4%, while the proportion of children presenting with severe, advanced dehydration or severe acute malnutrition increased significantly (p < 0.01). The primary self-reported reasons for missed clinic appointments were public transit closures (54.0%) and fear of hospital-acquired infection (36.0%). Pandemic mitigation parameters generated a substantial secondary disruption in childhood immunization coverage and pediatric care access. Proactive catch-up immunization campaigns, mobile community clinics, and public reassurance strategies are urgently needed to avert large-scale outbreaks of vaccine-preventable pediatric diseases.

Keywords: COVID-19, Immunization Coverage, Child Health, Lockdown, Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, Public Health Disruption

Manuscript Timeline: Received: July 04, 2020; Revised: August 11, 2020; Accepted: September 02, 2020; Published: October 14, 2020.

Citation: Kamau EN, Adebayo TO, Touré SM. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown on Routine Immunization Coverage and Child Health Services. International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences, 2020, 10(10): 74–82. DOI: 10.46882/2020/IJMMS/100074

Subscribe to read the full article: https://internationalscholarsjournals.org/subscribe-to-read