Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) BA.2/BA.2.12.1 and BA.4/BA.5 subvariants have mutations associated with increased capacity to evade immunity when compared with prior variants. We evaluated mRNA monovalent booster dose effectiveness among persons ≥5 years old during BA.2/BA.2.12.1 and BA.4/BA.5 predominance.
Methods: A test-negative, case-control analysis included data from 12 148 pharmacy SARS-CoV-2 testing sites nationwide for persons aged ≥5 years with ≥1 coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19)-like symptoms and a SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid amplification test from April 2 to August 31, 2022. Relative vaccine effectiveness (rVE) was estimated comparing 3 doses of COVID-19 mRNA monovalent vaccine to 2 doses; for tests among persons ≥50 years, rVE estimates also compared 4 doses to 3 doses (≥4 months since third dose).
Results: A total of 760 986 test-positive cases and 817 876 test-negative controls were included. Among individuals ≥12 years, rVE of 3 versus 2 doses ranged by age group from 45% to 74% at 1-month post vaccination and waned to 0% by 5-7 months post vaccination during the BA.4/BA.5 period.Adults aged ≥50 years (fourth dose eligible) who received 4 doses were less likely to have symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection compared with those with 3 doses; this rVE remained >0% through at least 3 months since last dose. For those aged ≥65 years, rVE of 4 versus 3 doses 1-month post vaccination was higher during BA.2/BA.2.12.1 (rVE = 49%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 43%-53%) than BA.4/BA.5 (rVE = 40%; 95% CI, 36%-44%). In 50- to 64-year-olds, rVE estimates were similar.
Conclusions: Monovalent mRNA booster doses provided additional protection against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection during BA.2/BA.2.12.1 and BA.4/BA.5 subvariant circulation, but protection waned over time.
Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; infection; monovalent boosters.
Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America 2023.