A recent study finds the 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccines remain effective, with peak protection four weeks after vaccination and sustained benefits against severe outcomes.
Published today in JAMA Internal Medicine, the research shows that the updated vaccines provide similar protection to previous formulations. Four weeks after vaccination, effectiveness was 44.7% against infection, 45.1% against emergency department visits, and 57.5% against hospitalization or death.
Protection declined over time, dropping at 10 weeks to 35.5% against infection, 42.9% against emergency visits, and 49.7% against hospitalization or death, and at 20 weeks to 16.7%, 39.1%, and 34.0%, respectively. Effectiveness was comparable across different Omicron subvariants.
Dr. Danyu Lin, lead author and Dennis Gillings Distinguished Professor at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, said:
“COVID-19 is still causing serious illness. Our study showed that the 2024–2025 vaccines were effective, especially against severe outcomes, although their effectiveness waned over time. Annual COVID-19 vaccination remains beneficial, particularly for high-risk individuals. The 2025–2026 vaccines, targeting similar Omicron subvariants, are expected to provide comparable protection”.
Co-authors include Yi Du, PhD, and Sai Paritala, PharmD (Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services), Yangjianchen Xu (University of Waterloo), and Patrick Maloney, PhD (University of Nebraska Medical Center).
The findings underscore the ongoing value of vaccination in preventing serious illness and protecting public health as new variants emerge.
About the Author
