ABSTRACT
Background
This meta-analysis aims to assess the effectiveness of the current Sars-Cov2 vaccine regimens against Omicron infection. A secondary endpoint aims to investigate the waning effectiveness of primary vaccination against symptomatic infection and related hospitalization.
Research design and methods
The systematic review started on 1 December 2021 and was concluded on 1 March 2022. Random-effects frequentist meta-analyses and multiple meta-regressions were performed.
Results
In total, 15 studies are included in the quantitative synthesis. According to the meta-analysis results, the overall risk of Sars-Cov2 infection in vaccinated individuals is on average 31 · 5% lower than the infection risk in unvaccinated while vaccinated with one booster dose have a 70 · 4% risk reduction of Omicron infection compared to unvaccinated. In particular, one booster dose significantly decreases by 69% the risk of symptomatic Omicron infection with respect to unvaccinated. Six months after the primary vaccination, the average risk reduction declines to 22% against symptomatic infection and to 55% against hospitalization.
Conclusions
Primary vaccination does not provide sufficient protection against symptomatic Omicron infection. Although the effectiveness of the primary vaccination against hospitalization due to Omicron remains significantly above 50% after 3 months, it dramatically fades after 6 months.
Declaration of interest
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or material discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or mending, or royalties.
Reviewer disclosures
Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.
Data availability
Data supporting the reported results are available on request to the Authors.
Supplementary material
Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/14760584.2022.2130773