Duration of mRNA vaccine protection against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 subvariants in Qatar

  • Hiam Chemaitelly
  • , Houssein H Ayoub
  • , Sawsan AlMukdad
  • , Peter Coyle
  • , Patrick Tang
  • , Hadi M Yassine
  • , Hebah A Al-Khatib
  • , Maria K Smatti
  • , Mohammad R Hasan
  • , Zaina Al-Kanaani
  • , Einas Al-Kuwari
  • , Andrew Jeremijenko
  • , Anvar Hassan Kaleeckal
  • , Ali Nizar Latif
  • , Riyazuddin Mohammad Shaik
  • , Hanan F Abdul-Rahim
  • , Gheyath K Nasrallah
  • , Mohamed Ghaith Al-Kuwari
  • , Adeel A Butt
  • , Hamad Eid Al-Romaihi
  • Mohamed H Al-Thani, Abdullatif Al-Khal, Roberto Bertollini, Laith J Abu-Raddad

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

168 Citations (Scopus)
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Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 subvariants are genetically divergent. We conducted a matched, test-negative, case-control study to estimate duration of protection of the second and third/booster doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines against BA.1 and BA.2 infections in Qatar. BNT162b2 effectiveness was highest at 46.6% (95% CI: 33.4-57.2%) against symptomatic BA.1 and at 51.7% (95% CI: 43.2-58.9%) against symptomatic BA.2 infections in the first three months after the second dose, but declined to ~10% or below thereafter. Effectiveness rebounded to 59.9% (95% CI: 51.2-67.0%) and 43.7% (95% CI: 36.5-50.0%), respectively, in the first month after the booster dose, before declining again. Effectiveness against COVID-19 hospitalization and death was 70-80% after the second dose and >90% after the booster dose. mRNA-1273 vaccine protection showed similar patterns. mRNA vaccines provide comparable, moderate, and short-lived protection against symptomatic BA.1 and BA.2 Omicron infections, but strong and durable protection against COVID-19 hospitalization and death.
Original languageEnglish
Article number3082
JournalNature Communications
Volume13
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 02 Jun 2022

Keywords

  • Humans
  • Vaccines, Synthetic
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Qatar
  • COVID-19
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • mRNA Vaccines
  • BNT162 Vaccine
  • 2019-nCoV Vaccine mRNA-1273

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