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. 2021 Dec 9;385(24):e83.
doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2114114. Epub 2021 Oct 6.

Waning of BNT162b2 Vaccine Protection against SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Qatar

Hiam Chemaitelly  1 , Patrick Tang  1 , Mohammad R Hasan  1 , Sawsan AlMukdad  1 , Hadi M Yassine  1 , Fatiha M Benslimane  1 , Hebah A Al Khatib  1 , Peter Coyle  1 , Houssein H Ayoub  1 , Zaina Al Kanaani  1 , Einas Al Kuwari  1 , Andrew Jeremijenko  1 , Anvar H Kaleeckal  1 , Ali N Latif  1 , Riyazuddin M Shaik  1 , Hanan F Abdul Rahim  1 , Gheyath K Nasrallah  1 , Mohamed G Al Kuwari  1 , Hamad E Al Romaihi  1 , Adeel A Butt  1 , Mohamed H Al-Thani  1 , Abdullatif Al Khal  1 , Roberto Bertollini  1 , Laith J Abu-Raddad  1
Affiliations

Waning of BNT162b2 Vaccine Protection against SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Qatar

Hiam Chemaitelly et al. N Engl J Med. .

Abstract

Background: Waning of vaccine protection against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection or coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is a concern. The persistence of BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) vaccine effectiveness against infection and disease in Qatar, where the B.1.351 (or beta) and B.1.617.2 (or delta) variants have dominated incidence and polymerase-chain-reaction testing is done on a mass scale, is unclear.

Methods: We used a matched test-negative, case-control study design to estimate vaccine effectiveness against any SARS-CoV-2 infection and against any severe, critical, or fatal case of Covid-19, from January 1 to September 5, 2021.

Results: Estimated BNT162b2 effectiveness against any SARS-CoV-2 infection was negligible in the first 2 weeks after the first dose. It increased to 36.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 33.2 to 40.2) in the third week after the first dose and reached its peak at 77.5% (95% CI, 76.4 to 78.6) in the first month after the second dose. Effectiveness declined gradually thereafter, with the decline accelerating after the fourth month to reach approximately 20% in months 5 through 7 after the second dose. Effectiveness against symptomatic infection was higher than effectiveness against asymptomatic infection but waned similarly. Variant-specific effectiveness waned in the same pattern. Effectiveness against any severe, critical, or fatal case of Covid-19 increased rapidly to 66.1% (95% CI, 56.8 to 73.5) by the third week after the first dose and reached 96% or higher in the first 2 months after the second dose; effectiveness persisted at approximately this level for 6 months.

Conclusions: BNT162b2-induced protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection appeared to wane rapidly following its peak after the second dose, but protection against hospitalization and death persisted at a robust level for 6 months after the second dose. (Funded by Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar and others.).

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Time Trend of Vaccinated Persons, SARS-CoV-2 Infections, and Vaccine Breakthrough Infections in Qatar.
SARS-CoV-2 denotes severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Effectiveness of the BNT162b2 Vaccine.
Data are presented as effectiveness point estimates, with 𝙸 bars indicating the corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Covid-19 denotes coronavirus disease 2019.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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References

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