New Delhi, Agency News: Real-world data demonstrate that the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing COVID-19 hospitalization in adults 65 years of age and older.
The analysis included adults 65 years of age and older with COVID-19-like illness admitted to 24 hospitals in 14 states from January 1, 2021, through March 26, 2021. The effectiveness of either a partial or full vaccination with Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines was assessed. Partially vaccinated individuals were those with onset of COVID-like illness at least 14 days after the first vaccine dose in a 2-dose series but less than 14 days after the second dose. Fully vaccinated individuals were those with illness onset at least 14 days after receiving the second dose of a 2-dose series.
Among the 417 hospitalized adults included in the final analysis, 187 were case-patients and 230 were controls. Case patients were those who received 1 or more positive test results for SARS-CoV-2. Participants who received negative SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test results served as controls.
Among the 187 case-patients, 19 had received at least 1 dose of a 2-dose COVID-19 vaccine series at least 14 days before illness onset (18 partially vaccinated and 1 fully vaccinated). Among the 230 test-negative control patients, 62 had received at least 1 dose of vaccine at least 14 days before illness onset (44 partially vaccinated and 18 fully vaccinated). The prevalence of individuals who received at least 1 dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines was similar, 53% and 47%, respectively.
Findings showed that among adults 65 years of age and older, the adjusted vaccine effectiveness (VE) against COVID-19 associated hospitalization was estimated to be 94% (95% CI, 49-99) for fully vaccinated individuals and 64% (95% CI, 28-82) for partially vaccinated individuals.
“These data suggest that continuing to rapidly vaccinate US adults against COVID-19 will likely have a marked impact on COVID-19 hospitalization and might lead to commensurate reductions in post-COVID conditions and deaths.”