Effectiveness of mRNA BNT162b2 Vaccine 6 Months after Vaccination among Patients in Large Health Maintenance Organization, Israel

Abstract

Israel experienced a new wave of coronavirus disease during June 2021, six months after implementing a national vaccination campaign. We conducted 3 discrete analyses using data from a large health maintenance organization in Israel to determine whether IgG levels of fully vaccinated persons decrease over time, describe the relationship between IgG titer and subsequent PCR-confirmed infection, and compare PCR-confirmed infection rates by period of vaccination. Mean IgG levels steadily decreased over the 6-month period in the total tested population and in all age groups. An inverse relationship was found between IgG titer and subsequent PCR-positive infection. Persons vaccinated during the first 2 months of the campaign were more likely to become infected than those subsequently vaccinated. The vaccinated group >60 years of age had lower initial IgG levels and were at greater risk for infection. The findings support the decision to add a booster vaccine for persons >60 years of age.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• coronavirus disease
• severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
• SARS-CoV-2
• coronaviruses
• viruses