Role of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 virus in preventing sequelae in COVID-19 infection

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the relationship between vaccination schedule and COVID-19 severity, analyzing clinical manifestations and post-infection sequelae. Methods: Non-experimental cross-sectional study with quantitative and qualitative data collection, correlational analysis, and theoretical foundation based on scientific literature. Results: 118 participants from Northeast Brazil with confirmed COVID-19 were analyzed. The sample was predominantly female (71.2%), with working adults with healthy habits (76.3%), practicing physical activity, low smoking habits (4.4%), and moderate alcohol consumption (39%). Clinically, 44% had pre-existing comorbidities. Vaccination coverage was broad (98.31%), with 50% developing post-COVID sequelae, distributed across all vaccination profiles, more frequently in those vaccinated with Pfizer. Therefore, there is a direct correlation between vaccination schedule and severity. Participants with two to four doses did not develop severe forms of the disease, which are more prevalent in the first infection versus reinfections. Conclusion: Vaccination reduces the likelihood of severe conditions and mortality. Vaccine hesitancy, amplified by misinformation, poses a risk to public health, with the anti-vaccine movement being a causal factor in the increase in severe cases of COVID-19.