COVID-19 Vaccination Before Infection Prevented Deaths By 60%: ICMR Study

Getting vaccinated with at least one single dose against COVID-19 provided 60 percent protection against “post-discharge one-year mortality” among those who were hospitalised due to the virus.

Here’s all you need to know.

The big point: The findings, part of a study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Clinical Registry for COVID-19, showed that within a year of being discharged, these groups were at a higher risk of mortality:

• Males

• People older than 40 years of age

• People who had existing comorbidities

• People who contracted severe or moderate COVID-19

"It was observed that of the 14,419 participants contacted at least once in one year after discharge from hospital, 942 (6.5%) all-cause mortality was reported. A nested matched case-control analysis was conducted to evaluate the factors related to one-year post-discharge mortality."

Study

The study added that the vaccine provided protection to especially vulnerable groups.

How the study was conducted: The National Clinical Registry, which the ICMR has been maintaining for COVID-19 across 31 centres, stayed in touch with patients who had been hospitalised due to the virus and noted their health status updates regularly for up to one year post being discharged. 

The team also identified “nested matched case-control analyses” for proper evaluation.

The study took into consideration data that was collected till February this year. 

Why this matters: This is the first India-based study that talks about the post-hospitalisation mortality in COVID-19 patients.

With only a few researches so far talking about the efficacy of the vaccine, the ICMR study brings to light significant data.

While speaking to FIT earlier in the year, renowned virologist Gagandeep Kang had said that with variants of COVID-19 still surging every now and then, more data was needed.

"Studies from mRNA vaccines seem to indicate that boosters give some protection from infection and disease for a short period of time – about 3 months."