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Vaccines
Special Issues
Vaccines and Vaccinations During and After the Pandemic Period
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Vaccines and Vaccinations During and After the Pandemic Period

A special issue of Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 1856

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Dimitrios Papagiannis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Public Health & Vaccines Laboratory, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Nursing, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
Interests: vaccines; public health; epidemiology; hygiene
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Georgios Rachiotis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Μedical Faculty, University of Thessaly, 41222 Larissa, Greece
Interests: epidemiology; occupational health; social determinants of health; medicine; smoking
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed various global challenges and opportunities for reorganizing health systems and services. This Special Issue focuses on the public health aspects of COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination, aiding in informed decision-making and informing policy changes.

We invite submissions that align with the scope of the journal Vaccines, including original research articles, evidence-based reviews, and contributions from public health experts and epidemiologists. Research areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Public health and policy issues related to vaccination coverage, vaccine research, and communication strategies to encourage vaccine uptake.
  • The efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in the context of emerging variants, novel vaccine platforms, safety considerations, and booster doses.
  • The administration of routine vaccinations and boosters.

Dr. Dimitrios Papagiannis
Dr. Georgios Rachiotis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Vaccines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • vaccines
  • vaccination coverage
  • hesitancy
  • omicron variant
  • public health interventions

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  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 2410 KB  
Article
Geographical Patterns of COVID-19 Vaccine Inequality by Race and Ethnicity and Sociodemographic Determinants of Health: Evidence from Louisville, Kentucky
by Seyed M. Karimi, Amir Hossein Hassani, Hamid Zarei, Mana Moghadami, Md Yasin Ali Parh, Shaminul H. Shakib, Venetia Aranha, Mohammad Mansouri, Trey Allen, Yuting Chen, Sirajum Munira Khan, Farzaneh Raoofi, Sepideh Poursafargholi, Taylor Ingram and Angela Graham
Vaccines 2025, 13(12), 1241; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13121241 - 13 Dec 2025
Viewed by 274
Abstract
Background: Infectious diseases accounted for approximately 18.4% of global mortality in 2019. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), vaccines are available for about 30 potentially lethal diseases. Vaccination prevents substantial mortality and hospitalization. However, its ability to improve overall public health depends [...] Read more.
Background: Infectious diseases accounted for approximately 18.4% of global mortality in 2019. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), vaccines are available for about 30 potentially lethal diseases. Vaccination prevents substantial mortality and hospitalization. However, its ability to improve overall public health depends on equitable access across all populations, regardless of race, ethnicity, education, or socioeconomic status. Objectives: This study aims to examine how disparities in social determinants of health (SDOH) affect COVID-19 vaccination uptake across Jefferson County, Kentucky. Using ZIP code–level spatial mapping, this study investigates the intersection of SDOH, racial composition, and geographic characteristics to identify inequities and inform equitable interventions. Methods: Data from the Kentucky Immunization Registry (KYIR) were analyzed to assess two-dose COVID-19 vaccination rates at the ZIP code and regional levels in Jefferson County, Kentucky. Vaccination rates were stratified by race and ethnicity and linked with SDOH, including education, employment, insurance status, and income, obtained from the 2021 American Community Survey. Results: By May 2021, vaccination rates ranged from 25.9% in the West region to 57.0% in the Inner East region; by May 2022, these rates increased to 46.2% and 73.9%, respectively. White residents consistently had the highest two-dose vaccination rates (66.4% by May 2022), while Black and Hispanic residents had lower rates (45.7% and 43.9%, respectively). Vaccination rates were strongly correlated with SDOH, especially educational attainment, average family income, and employment rate, underscoring the role of socioeconomic inequities in vaccination disparities. Conclusions: Geographical and racial disparities emphasize the influence of social and economic inequality on vaccine uptake. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vaccines and Vaccinations During and After the Pandemic Period)
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18 pages, 2373 KB  
Article
Changing Epidemiology of Influenza Infections Among Children in the Post-Pandemic Period: A Case Study in Xi’an, China
by Zeyao Zhao, Ning Lan, Yang Chen, Juan Yang, Jing Bai and Jifeng Liu
Vaccines 2025, 13(12), 1214; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13121214 - 30 Nov 2025
Viewed by 1186
Abstract
Background: The epidemiology of influenza was disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the relaxation of non-pharmaceutical interventions, influenza viruses have re-emerged and caused epidemics with shifts in age distribution and seasonality. This study aimed to characterise the post-pandemic epidemiology of influenza infections among [...] Read more.
Background: The epidemiology of influenza was disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the relaxation of non-pharmaceutical interventions, influenza viruses have re-emerged and caused epidemics with shifts in age distribution and seasonality. This study aimed to characterise the post-pandemic epidemiology of influenza infections among children in Xi’an, China. Methods: A retrospective analysis of laboratory-confirmed paediatric influenza cases spanning three periods [pre-pandemic (1 January 2010–22 January 2020), intra-pandemic (23 January 2020–8 January 2023), and post-pandemic (9 January 2023–31 August 2025)] was conducted. Age-specific incidences were determined by subtypes (lineage) and compared across periods. Seasonal parameters were estimated using a generalised linear model with harmonic terms. Associations between influenza infection and risk of co-detection with other respiratory pathogens were assessed using logistic regression models. Results: Influenza peak activity in the post-pandemic period was 10-fold higher than in the intra-pandemic period. The mean age of infected children increased by 1.4 years (95% CI: 1.2–1.7), shifting towards school-aged children (6–17 years). The seasonal pattern re-established with an earlier peak (13.9 weeks earlier than the pre-pandemic period, 95% CI: 10.4–15.2) and increased amplitude (10-fold and 4-fold higher than the intra- and pre-pandemic periods, respectively). It was observed that A(H1N1)pdm09 positivity was elevated in preschool and school-aged children, whereas B/Victoria infections showed renewed susceptibility among infants [0–5 months vs. 6–35 months vs. 3–5 years vs. 6–17 years: 11.0% (95% CI: 5.1–19.8) vs. 2.8% (1.9–4.0) vs. 4.0% (3.2–5.0) vs. 5.2% (4.5–6.0); p = 0.00014]. Influenza infection was associated with higher risk of bacterial co-detection with Streptococcus pneumoniae (aOR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.22–1.91) and Haemophilus influenzae (aOR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.19–1.80), but lower risk of co-detection with SARS-CoV-2 (aOR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.27–0.99), RSV (aOR = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.11–0.79), and parainfluenza viruses (aOR = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.04–0.65). Conclusions: The post-pandemic landscape of paediatric influenza in Xi’an has undergone substantial reconfiguration, characterised by intensified activity, altered seasonality, and a marked shift in age distribution. The increased bacterial co-detection points out the potential for more severe respiratory co-infections. These findings highlight the importance of optimising vaccination timing and prompting school-aged-children-targeted immunisation programmes in the post-pandemic era. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vaccines and Vaccinations During and After the Pandemic Period)
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