Study: Vaccinated people had lower risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes

Among people who had COVID-19, those who had received the latest vaccine had a lower risk of having a severe outcome than those who had not, according to new Cleveland Clinic research published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Coupled with antiviral treatments such as nirmatrelvir and molnupiravir, updated versions of Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and Novavax COVID-19 vaccines significantly lowered the likelihood of hospitalization and death from currently circulating COVID-19 variants.

The study included more than 27,000 patients age 12 and older who tested positive for COVID-19 between September and December 2023. The researchers found that the updated vaccines and antiviral drugs reduced the risk of severe COVID-19 by 31% and 42% respectively, particularly in older individuals and those who are immunocompromised. Furthermore, the study observed consistent efficacy across various subvariants of SARS-CoV-2.

Although the research had some limitations, the results underscore the potential significance of XBB.1.5 vaccines and antivirals treatments as vital tools in combating the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.