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Older and frail residents of skilled nursing facilities saw a 63% drop in risk of COVID-19 infection after at least one dose of the vaccine, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Pfizer.
CDC researchers said the results revealed a “significant reduction in the risk” of contracting an infection among this vulnerable group not considered in clinical trials, raising questions about the vaccine’s effectiveness.
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The results come from 463 residents of two skilled nursing facilities in Connecticut. Age and race were said to be similar across all facilities; over 90% of residents at each facility were white, according to available data.
Vaccinations with the jab developed by Pfizer-BioNTech began in facilities at the end of December thanks to a federal pharmacy program in long-term care facilities. The State Department of Health joined the CDC to assess electronic patient records for vaccinations and infections.
“Partial vaccination, defined as the period from> 14 days after the first dose to 7 days after the second dose, had an estimated effectiveness of 63%,” the CDC researchers wrote, finding the results to be similar compared to adults of all age groups. For example, an advanced stage clinical trial indicated a vaccine efficacy of 52% between the first and second dose. In addition, the results of the vaccine deployment in Israel revealed that the Pfizer vaccine reduced documented infections by 46% 14 to 20 days after an initial dose.
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“To optimize the impact of the vaccine among this population, high coverage with the full 2-dose series should be recommended for SNF. [skilled nursing facility] residents and staff, ”the CDC researchers wrote.
The report noted that 24.8% of residents had confirmed infections less than three months before the start of the investigation. During the study period, 97 infections occurred, 89% of cases involving at least one symptom. By the end of the surveys in mid-February, 66% of residents were fully immunized, 16% had received a dose, and the rest had not yet received a vaccine.
“Even during a large-scale epidemic in a long-term care facility, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine provided protection against infection with SARS-CoV-2, including in adults aged 65 and over. more with a high prevalence of underlying medical conditions, ”the report continues.
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The study authors noted that separate evidence suggested that immunity against a previous infection may combine to enhance protection after a single dose, but the report could not assess the impact of a previous infection. due to the high rates of vaccination at the first dose and a single case of re-infection. .
The report had its limitations, including 30% missing data on ethnicity and a small sample size that made it difficult to draw conclusions about outcomes like hospitalization or death.
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