COVID-19 Vaccination: Hopes and Facts to Cover Incompetence

Abstract

Background: Vaccination programmes against COVID-19 started in December 2020 in three countries (Israel, the UK and the USA) and in the first two weeks of January in a further 137 countries. No vaccination campaigns had yet been implemented in 36 countries on 30 March 2021. Objective: The aim of this research is to compare the death rates in the two sets of countries. The correlation between number of deaths due to the virus and LEEDELS data (Life Expectancy, Ecological, Demographic/Social and Lifestyle variables) was calculated to determine which of these variables were connected with COVID-19 deaths. Methods: The death and vaccination data were retrieved from the WHO coronavirus dashboard. The LEEDELS data were taken from the Atlante Geografico Agostini 2020 and CIA World Facebook 2020-2021. The statistical evaluation was conducted using the Spilt-Plot variance analysis. The profiler analysis was used to assess the correlation between deaths and vaccinations and the Spearman's ρ were used to correlate the COVID-19 deaths to LEEDELS. Results: 176 countries were considered. Death rates in the 36 countries without a vaccination programme are increasing, while in few of the other 140 which are close to herd immunity the rate seems to be flattening. However, a significant increase in number of deaths was seen in 48 of the 140 countries (34%) with vaccination programmes despite their campaigns. Death from the virus is linked to urban density and the variables that reflect prosperity (GDP, hospital beds, cars and the internet). None of the other variables were correlated. Conclusion: COVID-19 is causing a tragic number of deaths and vaccination is only one of the tools needed to tackle the disease. It can be ineffective without an appropriate approach to health policy.The poorest countries will be the next victims.