Reza Faryabi - Department of Public Health, Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft, Iran
Amin Saeedi - Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft, Iran
Salman Daneshi - Department of Public Health, School of Health, Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft, Iran
Mohadese Dostaki - Clinical Research Development Center of Imam Khomeini Hospital, Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft, Iran
Mahdieh Ardaneh - Department of Epidemiology, School of Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Naser Nasiri - Department of Public Health, Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft, Iran

Background: The commencement of COVID-۱۹ vaccination has had an impact on hospitalizations and deaths of patients. This study aims to investigate the effect of COVID-۱۹ vaccination on children›s hospitalizations and deaths. Methods: This cross-sectional study examined ۸۹۳ children infected with COVID-۱۹ referred to Imam Khomeini hospital in Jiroft City in the south of Iran in ۲۰۲۲. Data collected and analyzed included demographic variables including age, sex, place of residence, underlying disease, vaccination status, injection dose of vaccine, history of contact with a patient with COVID-۱۹, and clinical and laboratory characteristics such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell (WBC), creatinine (CR) and days of hospitalization. The data were analyzed using SPSS-v۲۰ software.Results: The average age±SD of the patients is ۴.۶±۳.۹ years. There were ۳۰۲ (۳۳.۸۱%) children in the age group of ۹ to ۱۲ years and ۱۳۳ (۱۴.۸۹%) of children were in the age group under one year. The most common clinical symptoms in children with COVID-۱۹ were fever (۶۷.۴۱%), diarrhea (۳۸.۶۳%), and cough (۳۰.۵۷%). ESR and CRP were ۲۷.۷۲±۲۰.۸, and ۲۵.۵۱±۳۲.۸ respectively amongst the participants. Out of ۸۹۳ children, ۴۸۰ (۵۳.۷۵%) were vaccinated and ۴۱۳ (۴۶.۲۴%) had not received the vaccine. Out of ۴۸۰ vaccinated children, ۴۶۰ (۹۵.۸۳%) were outpatient, and only ۲۰ (۴.۱۶%) were hospitalized, and out of ۴۱۳ non-vaccinated children, ۲۴۱ (۵۸.۳۵%) were outpatient, and ۱۷۲ (۴۱.۶۴%) were hospitalized.Conclusion: The results showed that vaccination led to a ۹۵.۸۳% reduction in hospitalization and a ۱۰۰% reduction in long-term hospitalization. The COVID-۱۹ vaccination is very effective in preventing the harmful effects of COVID-۱۹ in future trends and pandemics.

Hospitalization, COVID-۱۹, vaccination, children