Effect of COVID-19 vaccination on prevention of COVID-19 in a tertiary care center in Lebanon

Introduction: Lebanon received its first batch of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines on February 13, 2021 to launch a free nationwide vaccination campaign led by the Ministry of Public Health. The country has suffered an increase in cases and fatalities after the Beirut explosion in August 4, 2021. Objectives: We analyzed the efficacy of vaccination on preventing COVID-19 among staff at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC). Methods: The COVID-19 vaccination campaign started in different centers including AUBMC on February 14, 2021. Two doses of vaccine were administered at 3 weeks interval. Infection Control (IC) Program and Employee Health Unit (EHU) continued to raise awareness and investigate COVID-19 infections among staff. Positivity of cases is confirmed by antigen and/or PCR testing. Results: Till May 26, 2021, Lebanon reported 538,991 COVID cases (8% of population) and 7,690 deaths. While at AUBMC, a total of 1,133 (29%) staff developed COVID-19. To date, 8.6% of the population received the first dose of the vaccine, and 4.5% received the second dose. Eighty five percent of the hospital staff received the first dose and 80% received the second dose. The trend depicting COVID-19 cases at AUBMC followed the one observed in Lebanon. Following the end of year's celebrations an increase of cases was observed at AUBMC and in Lebanon during January. Inversely, we observed a decrease in the number of positive cases in May 2021 nationwide and at AUBMC. Conclusion: The trend in COVID-19 cases declined at the national level starting April 2021 similar to our trend. The decline at AUBMC was more pronounced most likely because of the rapidity of the immunization as most of the workforce was vaccinated within 4 weeks. The spread of the virus in Lebanon decreased due to vaccination and the natural immunization secondary to the infection. IC practices, mandatory masking, hand hygiene, and physical distancing, remain instrumental in halting COVID- 19 transmissions in the community in view of the slow vaccination rollout in Lebanon. (Figure Presented).