University of São Paulo: Study will evaluate the impact of vaccines on reducing cases of covid-19 in Ribeirão Preto

Brazilian researchers will evaluate the effectiveness of vaccines against covid-19 in Ribeirão Preto, that is, they will analyze how immunizers impacted the number of cases of the disease. The study is carried out by the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Santa Casa de São Paulo; by the Brotherhood of the Holy House of Mercy of São Paulo; by the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto (FMRP) and by the Institute of Tropical Medicine, both at USP; by the Augusto Leopoldo Ayrosa Galvão Study Center (Cealag); and by the Municipal Health Department of Ribeirão Preto with funding from Magazine Luiza.

“Efficacy is calculated in clinical studies by comparing a group of volunteers who received the vaccine with another group who received a placebo, under ideal conditions. Effectiveness, in turn, shows whether or not the vaccine works well under real conditions outside of a clinical trial, and can only be calculated after the population has been vaccinated,” explains Professor Edson Zangiacomi Martinez, from FMRP, and a of the work coordinators in the city.

It is estimated that 2,400 people aged 18 or over, who had respiratory symptoms and were treated at a health unit in Ribeirão Preto, participate. The group of researchers will contact the telephone number provided during the consultation and the individual will have the possibility to accept or refuse participation.

“If the person says they do not want to participate, their decision will be respected and none of their data will be used. If you accept, you will not undergo any type of examination and will only answer questions about vaccination and symptoms and complications related to covid-19 and, when the results of the survey are released, no participant will be identified, so participation is confidential. ”, he clarifies.

Professor Edson Martinez also emphasizes that a home visit will be carried out in some cases and that all researchers will be identified with the name and logo of the project on the badge, on the shirt and on the car used.