Third COVID-19 Dose Reduces Severe Outcomes

A third COVID-19 vaccine dose is effective in reducing severe COVID-19-related outcomes compared with individuals who received 2 vaccine doses at least 5 months ago, the results of a new study show.

“These results show convincingly that the third dose of the vaccine is highly effective against severe COVID-19-related outcomes in different age groups and population subgroups, 1 week after the third dose. These data should facilitate informed policy decision-making,” Ran Balicer, director of the Clalit Research Institute and chief innovation officer for Clalit, said in a statement.

The results show that individuals who received 3 doses had a 93% lower risk of COVID-19-related hospitalizations than those who had just 2 doses. In addition, they also had a 92% lower risk of severe COVID-19 disease and an 81% lower risk of COVID-19-related death.

Investigators reviewed data from 728,321 individuals aged 12 years or older who received the third dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine. These individuals were matched with 728,321 others who only received 2 doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine at least 5 months prior. The matching was based on demographic, geographic, and health-related attributes associated with the health status, risk of infections, and severe disease.

Reference

Largest real-world study of third dose of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness. EurekAlert. News release. October 29, 2021. Accessed November 1, 2021. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/933198