this report was posted as an MMWR Early Release on the MMWR website (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr).Adults aged ≥65 years are at increased risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19 and were identified as a priority group to receive the first COVID-19 vaccines approved for use under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in the United States (1-3). In an evaluation at 24 hospitals in 14 states,* the effectiveness of partial or full vaccination † with Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines against COVID-19-associated hospitalization was assessed among adults aged ≥65 years. Among 417 hospitalized adults aged ≥65 years (including 187 case-patients and 230 controls), the median age was 73 years, 48% were female, 73% were non-Hispanic White, 17% were non-Hispanic Black, 6% were Hispanic, and 4% lived in a long-term care facility. Adjusted vaccine effectiveness (VE) against COVID-19-associated hospitalization among adults aged ≥65 years was estimated to be 94% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 49%-99%) for full vaccination and 64% (95% CI = 28%-82%) for partial vaccination. These findings are consistent with efficacy determined from clinical trials in the subgroup of adults aged ≥65 years (4,5). This multisite U.S. evaluation under real-world conditions suggests that vaccination provided protection against COVID-19-associated hospitalization among adults aged * Patients were enrolled from 24 medical centers in 14 states (
Background
Multivalent influenza vaccine products provide protection against influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2), and B lineage viruses. The 2018–2019 influenza season in the United States included prolonged circulation of A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses well-matched to the vaccine strain and A(H3N2) viruses, the majority of which were mismatched to the vaccine. We estimated the number of vaccine-prevented influenza-associated illnesses, medical visits, hospitalizations, and deaths for the season.
Methods
We used a mathematical model and Monte Carlo algorithm to estimate numbers and 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) of influenza-associated outcomes prevented by vaccination in the United States. The model incorporated age-specific estimates of national 2018–2019 influenza vaccine coverage, influenza virus–specific vaccine effectiveness from the US Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network, and disease burden estimated from population-based rates of influenza-associated hospitalizations through the Influenza Hospitalization Surveillance Network.
Results
Influenza vaccination prevented an estimated 4.4 million (95%UI, 3.4 million–7.1 million) illnesses, 2.3 million (95%UI, 1.8 million–3.8 million) medical visits, 58 000 (95%UI, 30 000–156 000) hospitalizations, and 3500 (95%UI, 1000–13 000) deaths due to influenza viruses during the US 2018–2019 influenza season. Vaccination prevented 14% of projected hospitalizations associated with A(H1N1)pdm09 overall and 43% among children aged 6 months–4 years.
Conclusions
Influenza vaccination averted substantial influenza-associated disease including hospitalizations and deaths in the United States, primarily due to effectiveness against A(H1N1)pdm09. Our findings underscore the value of influenza vaccination, highlighting that vaccines measurably decrease illness and associated healthcare utilization even in a season in which a vaccine component does not match to a circulating virus.
Background
Individuals in contact with persons with COVID‐19 are at high risk of developing COVID‐19; protection offered by COVID‐19 vaccines in the context of known exposure is poorly understood.
Methods
Symptomatic outpatients aged ≥12 years reporting acute onset of COVID‐19‐like illness and tested for SARS‐CoV‐2 between February 1 and September 30, 2021 were enrolled. Participants were stratified by self‐report of having known contact with a COVID‐19 case in the 14 days prior to illness onset. Vaccine effectiveness was evaluated using the test‐negative study design and multivariable logistic regression.
Results
Among 2229 participants, 283/451 (63%) of those reporting contact and 331/1778 (19%) without known contact tested SARS‐CoV‐2‐positive. Adjusted vaccine effectiveness was 71% (95% confidence interval [CI], 49%–83%) among fully vaccinated participants reporting a known contact versus 80% (95% CI, 72%–86%) among those with no known contact (
p
‐value for interaction = 0.2).
Conclusions
This study contributes to growing evidence of the benefits of vaccinations in preventing COVID‐19 and support vaccination recommendations and the importance of efforts to increase vaccination coverage.
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