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Master of Public Health

Effectiveness of mRNA Vaccination in Preventing COVID-19-Associated Invasive Mechanical Ventilation and Death - United States, March 2021-January 2022

AUTHORS

Tenforde MW , Self WH , Gaglani M , Ginde AA , Douin DJ , Talbot HK , Casey JD , Mohr NM , Zepeski A , McNeal T , Ghamande S , Gibbs KW , Files DC , Hager DN , Shehu A , Prekker ME , Frosch AE , Gong MN , Mohamed A , Johnson NJ , Srinivasan V , Steingrub JS , Peltan ID , Brown SM , Martin ET , Monto AS , Khan A , Hough CL , Busse LW , Duggal A , Wilson JG , Qadir N , Chang SY , Mallow C , Rivas C , Babcock HM , Kwon JH , Exline MC , Botros M , Lauring AS , Shapiro NI , Halasa N , Chappell JD , Grijalva CG , Rice TW , Jones ID , Stubblefield WB , Baughman A , Womack KN , Rhoads JP , Lindsell CJ , Hart KW , Zhu Y , Adams K , Surie D , McMorrow ML , Patel MM , , . MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report. 2022 3 25; 71(12). 459-465

ABSTRACT

COVID-19 mRNA vaccines (BNT162b2 [Pfizer-BioNTech] and mRNA-1273 [Moderna]) are effective at preventing COVID-19-associated hospitalization (1-3). However, how well mRNA vaccines protect against the most severe outcomes of these hospitalizations, including invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) or death is uncertain. Using a case-control design, mRNA vaccine effectiveness (VE) against COVID-19-associated IMV and in-hospital death was evaluated among adults aged ≥18 years hospitalized at 21 U.S. medical centers during March 11, 2021-January 24, 2022. During this period, the most commonly circulating variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, were B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.617.2 (Delta), and B.1.1.529 (Omicron). Previous vaccination (2 or 3 versus 0 vaccine doses before illness onset) in prospectively enrolled COVID-19 case-patients who received IMV or died within 28 days of hospitalization was compared with that among hospitalized control patients without COVID-19. Among 1,440 COVID-19 case-patients who received IMV or died, 307 (21%) had received 2 or 3 vaccine doses before illness onset. Among 6,104 control-patients, 4,020 (66%) had received 2 or 3 vaccine doses. Among the 1,440 case-patients who received IMV or died, those who were vaccinated were older (median age = 69 years), more likely to be immunocompromised* (40%), and had more chronic medical conditions compared with unvaccinated case-patients (median age = 55 years; immunocompromised = 10%; p<0.001 for both). VE against IMV or in-hospital death was 90% (95% CI = 88%-91%) overall, including 88% (95% CI = 86%-90%) for 2 doses and 94% (95% CI = 91%-96%) for 3 doses, and 94% (95% CI = 88%-97%) for 3 doses during the Omicron-predominant period. COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are highly effective in preventing COVID-19-associated death and respiratory failure treated with IMV. CDC recommends that all persons eligible for vaccination get vaccinated and stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccination (4).

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