Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Gamma lineage introduction and COVID-19 vaccination on the epidemiological landscape of a Brazilian city

Data associated with the introductions of SARS-CoV-2 lineages in a São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. The study revealed several SARS-CoV-2 lineages first detected in the city. However, after the introduction of the Gamma lineage, most of them were replaced by this variant, which became the most common. At the same time, there was an increase in the number of infections, severe disease cases, and deaths, mainly in individuals under 70 years old, the age group that was not fully vaccinated at the time. Our findings further support the evidence that vaccination effectively decreases SARS-CoV-2 spread and transmission