US scientists say having a third 'booster' dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine cuts hospitalisation risk compared with having just two jabs, but the difference wanes over time. The team looked at health records for 15,310 people, around half of whom were boosted, while the other half had received two jabs. The boosted participants were less likely than the others to need to attend hospital, but as the time since the booster increased, the difference in risk of hospitalisation decreased. This wane in the benefits of boosters is likely because the two jabs regime is very effective at reducing the long-term risk of hospitalisation, the scientists say.
Journal/conference: JAMA
Link to research (DOI): 10.1001/jama.2022.17811
Organisation/s: University of Chicago, USA
Odds of Hospitalization for COVID-19 After 3 vs 2 Doses of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine by Time Since Booster Dose
About The Study: In a large U.S. population, COVID-19 mRNA boosters were associated with decreased odds of hospitalization compared with the mRNA vaccine primary series alone, with the magnitude of the association reduced with more time since the booster dose.
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