UK's health agency finds booster dose reduces hospitalisation in Omicron cases by 88%

A new study conducted by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) found that vaccine booster dose reduces the possibility of hospitalisation by 88%. Although, according to the data, those who have taken both doses of the AstraZeneca, Pfizer or Moderna vaccines offer little protection against the new COVID variant, Omicron. Notably, in India, the majority of the population has had the Covishield vaccine-- which is manufactured by AstraZeneca. However, the researchers noted that the booster dose offers enough protection against hospitalisation.

"Protection against hospitalisation from vaccines is good against the Omicron variant. One dose of any vaccine was associated with a 35% reduced risk of hospitalisation among symptomatic cases with the Omicron variant, two doses with a 67% reduction up to 24 weeks after the second dose and a 51% reduced risk 25 or more weeks after the second dose," noted the researchers. 

"A third dose was associated with a 68% (95% confidence interval 52 to 82%) reduced risk of hospitalisation when compared to similar unvaccinated individuals," added the researchers of UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). 

UKHSA analysed 528,176 Omicron cases and 573,012 Delta cases

According to the data published on Omicron hospitalisation and vaccine efficacy analysis, the researchers found that a single vaccine jab lowered the risk of requiring clinic treatment by 52%. The scientists noted that the protection against the COVID-19 increased to 72% after inoculating the second dose. However, it added the protection reduced to 52% after 25 weeks. Besides, the UK Health agency also conducted research with the collaboration of Cambridge University MRC Biostatistics unit. According to the data published by the UKHSA, they analysed 528,176 Omicron cases and 573,012 Delta cases between 22 November and 26 December. The main aim of the research is to examine the risk of hospitalisation after testing positive for Omicron in England.

The researchers found that the risk of presentation to emergency care or hospital admission with Omicron (testing for symptomatic or asymptomatic infection) was approximately half of that for Delta, while the risk of hospital admission alone with Omicron was approximately one-third of that for Delta. "In this analysis, the risk of hospitalisation is lower for Omicron cases with symptomatic or asymptomatic infection after 2 and 3 doses of vaccine, with an 81% (95% confidence interval 77 to 85%) reduction in the risk of hospitalisation after 3 doses compared to unvaccinated Omicron cases," noted the researchers. 

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