AUTHOREA
Log in Sign Up Browse Preprints

loading page

COVID-19 hospitalizations, vaccine uptake, vaccination guidelines, and vaccine availability in six middle-income countries and areas in Europe, May 2022--April 2024
  • +20
  • Erin Rachel Whitehouse,
  • Paul Elish,
  • Elona Kureta,
  • Dragan Kochinski,
  • Dragana Plavsa,
  • Giorgi Chakhunashvili,
  • Besfort Kryeziu,
  • Sayragul Abdyldaeva,
  • Miguel Angel Sanchez Ruiz,
  • Sandra COHUET,
  • James Humphreys,
  • Kujtim Mersini,
  • Oksana Artemchuk,
  • Maja Stosic,
  • Olgha Tarkhan-Mouravi,
  • Ariana Kalaveshi,
  • Dinagul Otorbaeva,
  • Kristina Stavridis,
  • Silvia Bino,
  • Marc-Alain Widdowson,
  • Eva Leidman,
  • Iris Finci,
  • Mark Katz
Erin Rachel Whitehouse
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Corresponding Author:okp7@cdc.gov

Author Profile
Paul Elish
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Author Profile
Elona Kureta
Institute of Public Health
Author Profile
Dragan Kochinski
Republic of Macedonia Ministry of Health
Author Profile
Dragana Plavsa
National Institute of Public Health
Author Profile
Giorgi Chakhunashvili
National Center for Disease Control and Public Health
Author Profile
Besfort Kryeziu
National Institute of Public Health
Author Profile
Sayragul Abdyldaeva
Department for Disease Prevention and State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance
Author Profile
Miguel Angel Sanchez Ruiz
Epiconcept SAS
Author Profile
Sandra COHUET
Epiconcept SAS
Author Profile
James Humphreys
Epiconcept SAS
Author Profile
Kujtim Mersini
Agricultural University of Tirana
Author Profile
Oksana Artemchuk
World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe
Author Profile
Maja Stosic
National Institute of Public Health
Author Profile
Olgha Tarkhan-Mouravi
National Center for Disease Control and Public Health
Author Profile
Ariana Kalaveshi
National Institute of Public Health
Author Profile
Dinagul Otorbaeva
Department for Disease Prevention and State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance
Author Profile
Kristina Stavridis
Republic of Macedonia Ministry of Health
Author Profile
Silvia Bino
Institute of Public Health
Author Profile
Marc-Alain Widdowson
World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe
Author Profile
Eva Leidman
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Author Profile
Iris Finci
World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe
Author Profile
Mark Katz
World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe
Author Profile

Abstract

We evaluated COVID-19 epidemiology and vaccine uptake among 7,734 adults with severe acute respiratory infection in six middle-income countries and areas (CAs) in Europe during 2022–2024. A higher proportion of COVID-19 cases required mechanical ventilation (30[8.2%] vs. 23 [2.8%], p <0.001) and intensive care (70 [8.4%] vs. 48 [13.1%], p =0.016) during May 2023– April 2024 compared to May 2022–April 2023; however, COVID-19 vaccination in the last 12 months decreased from 25% in 2022–2023 to 3% in 2023–2024. Most CAs had not updated vaccine policies to recommend annual vaccination, and only two had vaccines available.