First national study on patterns of COVID-19 immunisation and outcomes in Germany.
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Age groups with higher immunisation coverage experienced smaller incidence peaks.
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Hospitalisations and deaths declined despite circulation of new virus variants known to cause more severe illness overall.
Abstract
Background
Utilising national surveillance data, we investigated the impact of the COVID-19 immunisation campaign on COVID-19 morbidity and mortality between December/2020 and October/2021 in Germany.
Methods
We compared patterns in immunisation coverage, incidence, hospitalisations, and deaths among 12–17, 18–59, and 60+ year-olds and examined these patterns within the context of anti-pandemic measures.
Results
COVID-19 incidence increased in all age groups following the end of lockdown restrictions in March/2021, but as Germany experienced successive peaks in incidence, age groups with higher immunisation coverage experienced successively smaller peaks. Notwithstanding corresponding increases during periods of higher incidence, among those aged 60+ years, COVID-19 related hospitalisations and deaths declined considerably as immunisation coverage increased, despite circulation of virus variants known to cause more severe illness.
Conclusion
Although ecological in nature, this study allows us to demonstrate clear patterns of decline in COVID-19 morbidity and mortality in Germany during the course of the immunisation campaign.
