Receipt of Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Provided Approximately 54% Increased Protection
According to a Feb. 1 report from the CDC, “In September 2023, CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended updated 2023–2024 (monovalent XBB.1.5) COVID-19 vaccination for all persons aged ≥6 months to prevent COVID-19, including severe disease. Many variants co-circulated during fall 2023; the JN.1 lineage became predominant in January 2024. Few estimates of updated 2023–2024 vaccine effectiveness (VE) are available.”
Further, “Receipt of updated COVID-19 vaccine provided approximately 54% increased protection against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection compared with no receipt of updated vaccine. Vaccination provides protection against JN.1 and other circulating lineages.”
The results are based on more than 9,000 adults who were tested for COVID at participating CVS and Walgreens pharmacies between mid-September and early January. The findings are based on individuals who did not have an immunocompromising condition and the CDC says that it will continue to conduct analyses to monitor effectiveness over time.
All persons aged ≥6 months should receive updated 2023–2024 COVID-19 vaccine. CDC will continue monitoring COVID-19 VE, including against severe disease and for expected waning.
FDA has the report.
Janette Wider | Editor-in-Chief
Janette Wider is Editor-in-Chief for Healthcare Purchasing News.