Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred global efforts for vaccination. Understanding the severity of infection among vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals can inform clinical practice and public health measures. Objective: To compare the clinical and radiological severity of COVID-19 infections between vaccinated and non-vaccinated patients in a tertiary care hospital setting. Methods: A retrospective review of patient records from January to December 2022 at Sri Siddhartha Medical College and research centre, tertiary care centre. Clinical severity was categorized as mild, moderate, or severe based on WHO guidelines. Radiological severity was evaluated based on standard CT severity scores. Comparisons were made between the two groups, adjusting for confounding variables like age, gender, and comorbidities. Results: In a study of 150 individuals, 100 had received the vaccine while 50 had not. Those who were vaccinated displayed markedly fewer severe clinical symptoms (p < 0.001) and demonstrated decreased CT severity scores (p < 0.005) when compared to the non-vaccinated group. Though age and pre-existing health conditions played a role in the severity of symptoms, the vaccine's protective benefits were still pronounced after accounting for these factors. Conclusion: Vaccination against COVID-19 significantly reduces the clinical and radiological severity of the disease in patients. This study underscores the importance of widespread vaccination to mitigate the impact of the virus on individual health and hospital resources.
Key words: Clinical Severity ,COVID-19, Pandemic, Radiological Severity, Vaccination.
|
