Publications by authors named "Rafael Lopes Paixao da Silva"
Background: Vaccines developed between 2020 and 2021 against the SARS-CoV-2 virus were designed to diminish the severity and prevent deaths due to COVID-19. However, estimates of the effectiveness of vaccination campaigns in achieving these goals remain a methodological challenge. In this work, we developed a Bayesian statistical model to estimate the number of deaths and hospitalisations averted by vaccination of older adults (above 60 years old) in Brazil.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe study aims to analyze inequalities in Covid-19 outcomes in Brazil in 2020/2021 according to the per capita Gross Domestic Product (pcGDP) of municipalities. All cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) who were hospitalized or died, regardless of hospitalization, registered in Brazil in 2020 and 2021 were analyzed (n = 2,902,742), including those with a confirmed diagnosis of Covid-19 (n = 1,894,165). We calculated lethality due to Covid-19, the performance of diagnostic tests among patients with SARS, and the hospital care received by those with Covid-19 according to the pcGDP of the patients' municipalities of residence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern (VOC) P.1 (Gamma variant) emerged in the Amazonas State, Brazil, in November 2020. The epidemiological consequences of its mutations have not been widely studied, despite detection of P.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic highlighted the importance of vaccination strategies, particularly as vaccines became available in late 2020, with discussions around the cost-effectiveness of delaying second doses to increase first-dose coverage.
- A new mathematical model was developed to analyze two-dose vaccination schedules and optimize vaccination rates with a focus on minimizing deaths, considering vaccine production rates and the effectiveness of first and second doses.
- The findings suggest that the optimal timing for second doses depends on the efficacy of the first dose, vaccine production capacity, and the characteristics of each vaccine, emphasizing the need for strategic planning in vaccination campaigns.
Brazil in the face of new SARS-CoV-2 variants: emergencies and challenges in public health.
Rev Bras Epidemiol
June 2021
This article discusses the epidemic situation of Covid-19 in Brazil, in the face of the emergence of a new strain called P.1, which is more transmissible and may be associated with reinfection. Given the collapse of hospital care in Manaus in January 2021 and the results of three recent preprints, each that reports increased transmissibility of the P.
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