Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the medical activities of the Directorate of Health and Hygiene, Vatican City State

Objectives: To report the changes in volume and characteristics of medical activities in the Vatican City State during COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Data for general / emergency procedures , specialty consultations, radiology examinations and diagnostic procedures delivered by the Directorate of Health and Hygiene of the Vatican City State were retrospectively analysed. Analysis focused on the entire year 2020 and on the lockdown period 9 March - 18 May 2020. Results: In 2020, 73.932 procedures were performed compared to 95.218 in 2019 (-22.4%). During lockdown, general / emergency activities decreased by 61.1%, specialty consultations by 85.3%, radiology examinations by 95.8%, and diagnostic procedures by 96.5%. A decrease was found for nearly all specialties; the most affected were occupational medicine and dermatology, whilst an increase was found for legal medicine, psychiatry and angiology. Conclusion: Medical activities of the Vatican City State have been severely impacted, especially during the first months of the pandemic. However, organizational efforts allowed rapid restoration to near-normal volumes.