SARS-CoV-2 vaccine breakthrough infection and the evaluation of safety precaution practice before and after vaccination among healthcare workers in South West, Nigeria

• Published in: BMC public health 2024-05, Vol.24 (1), p.1259-11, Article 1259
• Main Authors: Oni, Oluwatosin Idowu, Osho, Patrick Olanrewaju, Odesanmi, Tayelolu Mary, Raji, Habeebat Motunrayo, Oluranti, Faith Titilayo, Ibina, Demian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Antigens; Breakthrough infections; Breakthrough Infections - prevention & control; Breakthrough Infections - virology; Chi-square test; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 vaccines; COVID-19 Vaccines - administration & dosage; Cross-Sectional Studies; Fatalities; Female; Health aspects; Health care; Health care facilities; Health Personnel - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Immunoassay; Immunoassays; Incidence; Infections; Male; Masks; Medical personnel; Nasopharyngeal; Nigeria; Pandemics; Pre and post-vaccination; Primary care; Public health; Safety; Safety and security measures; Safety measures; Sample size; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Statistical analysis; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teaching hospitals; Testing; Vaccination; Vaccination - statistics & numerical data; Vaccines; Viral diseases; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1471-2458; 1471-2458
• DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18663-y

Worldwide, it has been reported that fully vaccinated people still die of COVID-19-associated symptoms, generating public uncertainty about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines. Hence, this research is aimed at assessing the incidence of COVID-19 breakthrough infection among vaccinated Health Workers and the possible effect of changes in the practice of post-vaccination safety precautions. This was a Health facility-based descriptive cross-sectional study. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires distributed at the participant's work unit across the selected health facilities. The nasopharyngeal specimen was also obtained from the participants and analysed using STANDARD Q COVID-19 Ag Test rapid chromatographic immunoassay for the detection of antigens to SARS-CoV-2. All data were input and analyzed using SPSS version 20. There was a statistically significant relationship between the vaccination status of respondents and the post-vaccination test result (χ  = 6.816, df = 1, p = 0.009). The incidence of COVID-19 infection among the vaccinated and unvaccinated HCWs was 2% and 8% respectively. 5 of the 15 respondents who tested positive for COVID-19 had been fully vaccinated. However, all 5 of them did not practice safety measures after vaccination. None of the respondents who practised safety measures after vaccination tested positive for COVID-19. The remaining 10 respondents that tested positive for COVID-19 had not been vaccinated though they practised safety precautions. Vaccination and the practice of safety precautions will go a long way to preventing future COVID-19 breakthrough infections.