Severity of COVID-19 Symptoms among University of Belgrade Students during the July–September 2021 Pandemic Wave: Implications for Vaccination

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify the intensity of COVID-19 symptoms during the pandemic wave during July–September 2021 and to identify factors associated with having moderate and severe symptoms of COVID-19 among affected students in the University of Belgrade. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was carried out at the Institute for Students' Health (ISH) in Belgrade, Serbia. The ISH is the referral institution for health care delivery at primary and secondary levels. This analysis includes students who presented from July 1 until September 30, 2021, when the latest pandemic wave of COVID-19 was observed among university students. Data were extracted from students' electronic medical records. Three levels of COVID-19 symptom intensity were defined: mild, moderate, and severe. RESULTS: Of students seeking medical care at the ISH who were diagnosed with COVID-19, 27.3% had mild disease and the majority, 59.3%, had moderate disease, and 13.4% had severe symptoms. Of all students, 124 (21.8%) were fully vaccinated with 2 doses of Sinopharm (81, 60.9%), Pfizer-BioNTech (38, 28.6%), Sputnik V (7, 5.3%), or the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine (7, 5.3%). The multiple multinomial regression model suggests that students who were vaccinated against COVID-19 were 78% less likely to develop moderate symptoms and 96% less likely to develop severe symptoms of COVID-19. CONCLUSION: Students who are vaccinated against COVID-19 are at lower risk of developing moderate and severe symptoms of the disease.