Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (Nov 2022)

Waning effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines in older adults: a rapid review

  • Etsuro Nanishi,
  • Ofer Levy,
  • Al Ozonoff

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2022.2045857
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18, no. 5

Abstract

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health agencies have recently recommended a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines for specific vulnerable groups including adults 65 years and older. There is limited evidence whether vaccine effectiveness (VE) in older adults decreases over time, especially against severe COVID-19. We performed a rapid review of published studies available through 4 November 2021 that provide effectiveness data on messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines approved/licensed in the United States and identified eight eligible studies which evaluated VE in older adults. There is evidence of a decline in VE against both severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and severe COVID-19 in older adults among studies which analyzed data up to July–October 2021. Our findings suggest that VE diminishes in older adults, which supports the current recommendation for a booster dose in this population.

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