Ecologic study of influenza vaccination uptake and COVID-19 death rate in New York City.

Background: The aim of this ecological study was to assess the area-level relationship between cumulative death rate for COVID-19 and historic influenza vaccination uptake in the New York City population.

Methods: Predictors of COVID-19 death included self-reported influenza vaccination in 2017, as well as four CDC-defined risk factors of severe COVID-19 infection available at the ecological level, which were diabetes, asthma, BMI 30-100 () and hypertension, in addition to race and age (65 + years).

Results: After adjusting for potential confounders, for every one-unit increase in influenza vaccination uptake for each zip code area, the rate of COVID-19 deaths decreased by 5.

Assessing influenza vaccination success to inform COVID-19 vaccination campaign.

Given recent downward trends in daily rates of COVID-19 vaccinations, it is important to reassess strategies to reach those most vulnerable. The success and efficacy of vaccination campaigns for other respiratory illnesses, such as influenza, may help inform messaging around COVID-19 vaccinations. This cross-sectional study examines the individual-level factors associated with, and the spatial distribution of, predictors of COVID-19 severity, and uptake of influenza and hepatitis B (as a negative control) vaccines across NYC.

A Neighborhood Analysis of Time Trends in COVID-19 Infection in NYC.

To understand how observed COVID-19 diagnostic testing disparities across New York City (NYC) have impacted infection rates and COVID-19 spread, we examined neighborhood-level factors associated with, and the spatial distribution of, antibody test and infection rates, and compared changes over time by NYC ZIP code tabulation area (ZCTA). Data were obtained from 2019 American Community Survey 5-year estimates to create an SES index by ZCTA. Other predictors obtained from 2018 census data were the proportions of white residents, Hispanic residents and residents ≥ 65 years old.