HomeHealth ConditionsCOVID-19How effective is a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose?

How effective is a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose?

With the emergence of new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, there is some concern that vaccine induced immunity will not be as effective. There is some debate over whether or not COVID-19 vaccine boosters will make any difference.

A study conducted in Israel set out to test whether booster shots with the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine had any impact on deaths due to COVID-19.  

The study included people who were 50 years or older, who were divided into two groups. The first group that received booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, and the second group who did not receive a booster dose.

Using electronic medical records, the researchers were able to determine whether patients were infected with COVID-19, had any risk factors, and were able to identify patients who died due to COVID-19 during the study period. 

The researchers compared deaths that occurred due to COVID-19 between the group that received boosters and the group that did not receive boosters. 

Deaths due to COVID-19 were reported to be higher in the group that did not receive a booster dose, compared to those who did receive a booster. This effect was more pronounced in patients that were over the age of 60.

According to the study, in patients 50 years or older, “those who received a booster had 90% lower mortality due to Covid-19 than those who did not receive a booster.”

The researchers also compared the incidence of positive COVID-19 test results between booster and non-booster groups.  

Infection with SARS-CoV-2 also occurred in more people that did not receive a booster, compared with those that did receive a booster. 

The study concluded that “participants who received a booster at least 5 months after a second dose of BNT162b2 had 90% lower mortality due to Covid-19 in the short term than participants who did not receive a booster. However, studies with longer-term follow-up periods to assess the effectiveness and safety of the booster are still warranted.”

Reference: Arbel R, Hammerman A, Sergienko R, Friger M, Peretz A, Netzer D, Yaron S. BNT162b2 Vaccine Booster and Mortality Due to Covid-19. N Engl J Med. 2021 Dec 8. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2115624. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34879190.

Image by cromaconceptovisual from Pixabay 

Debra Kellen PhD
Debra Kellen PhD
With undergraduate degrees in Neuroscience and Education from the University of Toronto, Debra began her career as a teacher. Nine years later, when she moved to Michigan, Debra earned a Ph.D. in Education Policy from the University of Michigan. Today, Debra organizes conferences and conducts workshops to provide training and support for educators and medical professionals on effective coaching, staff recruitment and training, and creating a culture of continuous improvement. She loves to read and enjoys the challenge of translating medical research into informative, easy-to-read articles. Debra spends her free time with her family, travelling, wandering through art fairs, and canoeing on the Huron River.

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