US CDC: "Booster Shots 90% Effective in Preventing Hospitalization from Omicron Infection"

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] A study has found that the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine booster shots are 90% effective in preventing hospitalization when infected with the Omicron variant.

According to CNN and others, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed this in a report released on the 21st (local time). This is the first study to address the effectiveness of booster shots against the Omicron variant in real-world settings rather than clinical trials.

First, an investigation of 200,000 cases of hospitalizations and visits to emergency rooms and urgent care clinics in 10 states showed that the effectiveness of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in preventing hospitalization due to Omicron infection dropped to 57% six months after the second dose. However, after receiving a booster shot, the effectiveness rose to 90%. Whether the booster shot's effectiveness wanes over time was not confirmed in this study.

Additionally, the booster shot was 82% effective in preventing visits to emergency rooms or urgent care clinics. For those more than six months past their second dose, the protection rate was 38%.

Another study found that the booster shot did not completely block Omicron infection. However, the likelihood of infection was lower compared to those who had only received two doses.

In a third study targeting Omicron-infected individuals, those who received the booster shot were 66% less likely to develop symptoms from Omicron infection compared to those who had only two doses. By age group, the booster shot was most effective in preventing infection or death among those aged 50 and older.