Top 5 Takeaways

1. Increased Protection with Boosters: Additional primary or booster COVID-19 vaccine doses significantly enhance protection against the Omicron variant in nursing home residents, showing a relative vaccine effectiveness (VE) of 46.9%.
2. Study Context: The study analyzed data from approximately 15,000 skilled nursing facilities, assessing COVID-19 infection rates among residents during the peak prevalence of the Omicron variant.
3. Public Health Implications: Immunocompromised and all other nursing home residents should receive booster doses as recommended to maintain high levels of protection against COVID-19.
4. Methodology: A zero-inflated Poisson mixed effects model was employed to estimate VE, considering variabilities across facilities and time.
5. Limitations and Considerations: The study noted several limitations including the inability to control for confounders like age, comorbidities, and time since vaccination which may affect VE.

Original Article Author and Citation

Corresponding Author

Namrata Prasad, riz9@cdc.gov

Suggested Citation

Prasad N, Derado G, Nanduri SA, et al. Effectiveness of a COVID-19 Additional Primary or Booster Vaccine Dose in Preventing SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Nursing Home Residents During Widespread Circulation of the Omicron Variant — United States, February 14–March 27, 2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022;71:633–637. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7118a4.

Summary

The report emphasizes the effectiveness of booster doses in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection among nursing home residents, particularly during the widespread circulation of the Omicron variant, demonstrating a clear benefit of booster doses in this high-risk population.

Methods

The study employed a comprehensive data analysis from the National Healthcare Safety Network, involving advanced statistical methods to account for variations in weekly infection rates and vaccination coverage across nursing facilities.

Discussion

The findings support ongoing vaccination efforts, highlighting the need for booster doses to sustain immunity against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, particularly in vulnerable populations such as nursing home residents.

Conclusion

This study underscores the importance of booster vaccinations as a critical component of COVID-19 prevention strategies in nursing homes, advocating for policies that ensure up-to-date vaccination coverage among this demographic.