NEW YORK. The most recent iterations of COVID-19 vaccines demonstrate a 54% effectiveness in preventing symptomatic infection in adults, as revealed by the first U.S. study evaluating their efficacy. These updated shots, designed to enhance protection against recent coronavirus variants, have been available since last year.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted the study, examining 9,000 individuals tested for COVID-19 at CVS and Walgreens pharmacies. The analysis focused on identifying those who tested positive and assessing whether they had received the latest vaccine version.
The 54% effectiveness aligns with findings reported in other countries and mirrors results from a previous version of the vaccine, according to Ruth Link-Gelles, the lead author of the CDC study.
Future studies, expected later this year, will delve into the vaccine’s efficacy in preventing severe symptoms that necessitate medical attention or hospitalization, Link-Gelles stated.
Despite the CDC’s recommendation for these new shots for individuals aged 6 months and older, a significant portion of the American population has not yet received them. Recent CDC data indicates that only approximately 22% of U.S. adults and a mere 11% of children have been vaccinated with the latest shots. The slow uptake has contributed to a delay in researchers accumulating sufficient data to comprehensively assess the vaccines’ overall effectiveness, Link-Gelles explained.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
