Three doses of mRNA Covid-19 vaccines, either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, are effective in protecting against emergency department visits (ED) and hospitalizations associated with Omicron and Delta variations of the virus, claims a new study.
The study, from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), found that boosters of mRNA Covid vaccines are 82 percent effective in protecting against Omicron variant-associated ED visits.
It also found that booster shots are 90 percent effective in protecting against Omicron variant-related hospitalizations.
"Our findings provide important evidence that booster shots are highly effective and those who are unvaccinated are at significantly greater risk of experiencing more severe Covid-19 outcomes and should get vaccinated and boostered as soon as possible," researcher Shaun Grannis from Indiana University, said.
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The value of the third dose of an mRNA vaccine is significant as two doses were only 38 percent effective in protecting against Omicron-related ED visits and only 57 percent effective in protecting against Covid Omicron variant-related hospitalizations.
Boosters were even more effective against the Delta variant of Covid, protecting against 94 percent of both Covid Delta variant-associated ED visits and hospitalizations.
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The CDC collaborated with six US healthcare systems to create the VISION network to assess Covid vaccine effectiveness.
