A second COVID-19 booster made available to U.S. adults over the age of 50 this year was less potent in its ability to prevent infection, but was more effective in helping nursing home residents, according to a new study released this week. It was very effective in protecting people from hospitalization and death.
The analysis, published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, compared nursing home residents who received the first and second mRNA boosters with those who did not receive additional injections. did.
The study found that the second injection was 90% effective in preventing coronavirus-related deaths and 74% effective in preventing severe cases leading to hospitalization and death.
However, the injection was only about 26% effective in preventing infection. In this study, he examined cases from March 29 through July 25. It was during this period that the BA.5 Omicron subvariant predominated in the United States.
By the end of July, BA.5 accounted for 4 out of 5 coronavirus cases, and experts focused on their ability to evade vaccination and protection from previous infections.
The 9,527 nursing home residents included in the study received boosters within 60 days of follow-up by the researchers. To be eligible, participants must have spent at least 100 days in a nursing home, spent less than 10 days outside the facility, received 3 doses of vaccines, and received their last vaccination at least 120 days ago. I had to.
The survey included nearly 200 nursing homes in 19 states.
Nursing homes have been disproportionately affected by coronavirus throughout the pandemic. About four of the deaths from COVID-19, three of which he was over the age of 65. Rise at a faster rate in a nursing home than other countries.
“These findings demonstrate that among nursing home residents, a second COVID-19 vaccine booster mRNA dose was associated with severe COVID-19 outcomes during the emergence of Omicron variants. suggesting that it provided additional protection over the initial booster dose,” the researchers wrote.
“Facilities should continue to ensure that nursing home residents are up to date on COVID-19 immunizations, including booster doses of the bivalent vaccine, to prevent severe COVID-19 consequences.”
Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator, praised the findings.
“This is why we are so focused on ensuring that people, especially those at high risk, have the latest vaccines,” Jha tweeted.
Many of the participants in this study are eligible to receive a bivalent Omicron-specific COVID-19 booster if they have not recently been vaccinated again or contracted the virus. Approved at the end of August.
The White House is urging eligible individuals to get a bivalent booster to avoid another spike in coronavirus cases in the fall and winter. Both Moderna submitted animal data and were approved before full human studies were completed, so there was some uncertainty in the dosage.
Pfizer and Moderna recently filed an application with the Food and Drug Administration asking for permission to administer injections to young people. Her bivalent booster from Pfizer is licensed for children up to her age 12, while Moderna’s booster is currently only licensed for adults.
