The Pfizer and Moderna booster shots are about 50% effective

Posted on by Jesse Santiano, M.D.

This article presents the result of a study that evaluated the effectiveness of the Pfizer and Moderna booster shots among military veterans.

The study is from the US Department of Veterans Affairs and Stanford University. It is a relevant study because it includes older people with comorbidities. 

The research included individuals who had received the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines at least six months (180 days) before recruitment.

The investigation covered 74,032 people who had the Pfizer BNT162b2 shot and 55,098 individuals who received the Moderna mRNA-1273. The booster groups were compared with control groups that did not get the boosters.

Persons living in long-term care facilities were excluded.

Effectivity of Booster Shots

Effectiveness in preventing COVID-19

  • Pfizer BNT162b2 vaccination – 45.7%
  • Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine – 46.6% 

Effectiveness in preventing COVID-19 hospitalization

  • Pfizer booster vaccination – 52.3%
  • Moderna booster vaccine – 44.7%
Source: United States Department of Veterans Affairs 

Natural immunity from prior COVID-19 is superior

The short duration of vaccine-induced immunity to COVID-19 is the reason why booster shots are being pushed. Many studies show that vaccine-induced antibodies decrease after several months. Test-negative research newly published in the British Medical Journal showed that the risk of COVID-19 increases after 90 days of Pfizer vaccination. [2]

Natural immunity provides a high level of protection like vaccination, and it also lasts longer without any need for boosters. You can read about them at Ten Studies showing a low risk of COVID-19 reinfection among unvaccinated.

 

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  5. Breakthrough Cases Spread COVID-19 as Easily as the Unvaccinated
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References:

  1. Sharma et al. Effectiveness of a third dose of BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 vaccine for preventing post-vaccination COVID-19 infection: an observational study. medRxiv 2021.11.29.21266777; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.11.29.21266777

  2. Elapsed time since BNT162b2 vaccine and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection: test negative design study. BMJ 2021; 375 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2021-067873 (Published 25 November 2021) BMJ 2021;375:e067873

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