New Study Shows COVID Vaccines Reduce Severe Disease Risk

2024-2025 COVID vaccines cut hospitalizations by 39% and deaths by 64%, study finds.

Why it matters

  • COVID vaccines significantly reduce severe disease and death.
  • Effective across all age groups and regardless of prior immunity.

By the numbers

  • Nearly 300,000 U.S. participants in the study.
  • 29% reduction in emergency department visits.
  • 39% reduction in hospitalizations.
  • 64% reduction in death.

The big picture

  • Vaccines are effective even with prior immunity.
  • Younger, healthier individuals also benefit from vaccination.

What they're saying

  • Stanley Perlman: Vaccines are efficacious, especially against severe disease.
  • Nisha Viswanathan: Study design robust, findings relevant to current season.

Caveats

  • Study focuses on last season's vaccines, but similar results expected for current season.
  • Effectiveness against symptomatic disease has waned compared to earlier vaccines.

What’s next

  • Current COVID vaccines expected to perform similarly to last season's.
  • Real-world data on effectiveness for the new COVID vaccine is still limited.