Correlation between Polio immunization coverage and overall morbidity and mortality for COVID-19: an epidemiological study

Abstract

Aim: We conducted the current analysis to determine the potential role of polio vaccination in the context of the spread of COVID-19.

Methods: Data were extracted from the world health organization’s (WHO) Global Health Observatory data repository about the polio immunization coverage estimates and correlated to overall morbidity and mortality for COVID-19 among different countries.

Result: There was a significant positive correlation between the vaccine coverage (%) and both of new cases per one million populations (rho= 0.70; p-value< 0.001) and deaths per one million populations (rho= 0.61; p-value< 0.001). Moreover, there was a significant correlation between different world income groups and each of vaccine coverage (%) (rho= 0.30; p-value= 0.726).

Conclusion: Allegations about the possible protective effect of Polio vaccination do not have any support, when analyzing the related data.