International Journal of Infectious Diseases (Nov 2024)

Estimates of vaccine effectiveness of the updated monovalent XBB.1.5 COVID-19 vaccine against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, hospitalization, and receipt of oxygen therapy in South Korea - October 26 to December 31, 2023

  • Jung Ah Lee,
  • Heeseon Jang,
  • Sang Min Ahn,
  • Jae Eun Seong,
  • Young Keun Kim,
  • Yujin Sohn,
  • Sook In Jung,
  • Hye Won Jeong,
  • Shin-Woo Kim,
  • Jin-Soo Lee,
  • Ji-Hyeon Baek,
  • Se Ju Lee,
  • Geun-Yong Kwon,
  • Jeeyeon Shin,
  • Hangjin Jeong,
  • Changsoo Kim,
  • Jun Yong Choi

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 148
p. 107249

Abstract

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Objectives: We evaluated the vaccine effectiveness of monovalent XBB.1.5 vaccine against symptomatic COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and the need for oxygen therapy in South Korea. Design: This study employed a test-negative case-control design. COVID-19 test results in symptomatic subjects from six university hospitals across South Korea were collected (October 26–December 31, 2023). The adjusted absolute and relative vaccine effectiveness were assessed. Results: In total, 5516 subjects were enrolled: 4,824 were unvaccinated with XBB.1.5, and 692 were vaccinated with XBB.1.5 COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. The absolute vaccine effectiveness when comparing the odds between XBB.1.5 vaccination and no vaccination against symptomatic COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and oxygen therapy was 65.2% (95% CI, 36.1-81.0), 77.3% (95% CI, 51.1-89.5), and 85.3% (95% CI, 57.8-94.9), respectively. The relative vaccine effectiveness when comparing the odds between XBB.1.5 vaccination and no XBB.1.5 vaccination against symptomatic COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and oxygen therapy was 57.7% (95% CI, 34.7-72.6), 64.3% (95% CI, 35.9-80.2), and 65.5% (95% CI, 27.0-83.7), respectively. Conclusion: The short-term effectiveness of the XBB.1.5 vaccine against symptomatic COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and receipt of oxygen therapy in South Korea was significant. Long-term vaccine effectiveness warrants evaluation, and these assessments should be conducted regularly.

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