Factsheets on COVID-19 Vaccines
In partnership with the Asian Development Bank, IVAC developed factsheets summarizing key measures for COVID-19 vaccines such as effectiveness and protection against severe disease.
The factsheets include:
- Duration of Protection of COVID-19 Vaccines against Omicron
- Effectiveness of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines Against Omicron
- Effectiveness of COVID-19 Inactivated Vaccines Against Omicron
- Next Generation COVID-19 Vaccines
- Effectiveness of COVID-19 Vaccines Against Omicron in Children (6 months to 18 years)
- Effectiveness of COVID-19 Viral vector Vaccines Against Omicron
Duration of Protection of COVID-19 Vaccines Against Omicron (November 2022)
Key Facts:
- COVID-19 vaccines work less well against Omicron than other variants
- Vaccine protection against symptomatic disease drops quickly
- Protection against severe disease, like hospitalization and ICU admission, is better and durable for many months
- A booster shot substantially improves protection against Omicron infection and disease
- Booster protection against severe disease lasts for many months
- Booster protection against symptomatic disease declines quickly
Effectiveness of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines Against Omicron (November 2022)
Key Facts:
- COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are highly effective but are less effective against Omicron than other variants
- After the primary mRNA vaccination series: Protection against Omicron symptomatic disease (disease of any severity) drops quickly; and, protection against severe disease is better than that for symptomatic disease and declines some over many months
- After a booster shot (3rd dose) of mRNA vaccine: Protection against Omicron symptomatic disease improves substantially but then drops quickly; and, protection against Omicron severe disease improves to >80% on average and declines some over many months.
- COVID mRNA vaccines are safe and severe adverse reactions are rare: myocarditis has been detected after mRNA vaccination in rare cases mostly in boys 12-15 years; and, Bell’s Palsy is possibly associated with mRNA vaccines.
Effectiveness of COVID-19 Inactivated Vaccines Against Omicron (November 2022)
Key Facts:
- COVID-19 inactivated vaccines protect against severe disease, but poorly protects against infection with Omicron.
- Effectiveness of the primary vaccination series: protection against Omicron symptomatic disease (of any severity) is low; and, protection against Omicron severe disease is better than for symptomatic disease and lasts for many months.
- After a booster shot (3rd dose) of an inactivated vaccine: protection against Omicron symptomatic disease remained LOW with a booster dose of inactivated vaccine; and, protection against Omicron severe disease improves to >70% and lasts for several months.
- After a booster shot with an mRNA vaccine: protection against Omicron severe disease and symptomatic disease improved substantially but drops quickly for symptomatic disease.
Next Generation COVID-19 Vaccines
Key Facts:
Next-generation or second-generation vaccines are vaccines that are beginning to be available now that may offer improvements on the first wave of COVID-19 vaccines in several areas:
- Providing better and longer lasting protection against COVID-19, especially against new variants
- Fewer side effects, for example by giving smaller doses
- Easier to give to people, such as with needle-free vaccines
- Less expensive, achieved with new low-cost manufacturing
Effectiveness of COVID-19 Vaccines Against Omicron in Children (6 Months to 18 Years)
Key Facts:
- While infection rates are similar in adults and children, SARS-CoV-2 rarely causes severe disease in children.
- Effectiveness of the primary vaccination series: (1) Against severe disease, mRNA vaccines provide good protection and inactivated vaccines provide moderate protection, but some declines are seen by six months; (2) Protection against symptomatic disease and infection (of any severity) is lower and wanes rapidly
- After a booster shot (3rd dose) of an mRNA vaccine: (1)Protection against severe disease improved and remained high for 2-3 months; (2) Protection against infection or symptomatic disease was good immediately after vaccination but fell substantially within 1-3 months.
Effectiveness of COVID-19 Viral Vector Vaccines Against Omicron
Key Facts
- After the primary vaccination with vector vaccines: (1) Protection against Omicron symptomatic disease (disease of any severity) ranges from low to moderate; (2) Protection against severe disease is better than that for symptomatic disease but declines some over 6 months.
- After a booster shot (3rd dose) of vector or mRNA vaccine: (1) Protection against Omicron symptomatic disease is 63% on average initially, but declines to ~40% by 4 months; (2) Protection against Omicron severe disease improves to 92% on average and declines slightly to 86% by 4 months.