Resource: BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine in a Nationwide Mass Vaccination Setting
Source: New England Journal of Medicine
Summary: All persons who were newly vaccinated in a nationwide Israeli health campaign between December 20, 2020, to February 1, 2021 were matched to unvaccinated controls in a 1:1 ratio according to demographic and clinical characteristics. Study outcomes included documented infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), symptomatic COVID-19, COVID-19–related hospitalization, severe illness, and death.
Each study group included 596,618 persons. Estimated vaccine effectiveness for the study outcomes at days 14 through 20 after the first dose, and at 7 or more days after the second dose were as follows:
- for documented infection, 46% and 92%;
- for symptomatic Covid-19, 57% and 94%;
- for hospitalization, 74% and 87%;
- and for severe disease, 62% and 92% .
Comment: This study in a nationwide mass vaccination campaign suggests that the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine is highly effective in real world settings for a wide range of COVID-19–related outcomes. This is consistent with the findings of previous randomized trials performed during vaccine development.
