Background: Post-pandemic years are characterized by widespread previous population immunization against COVID-19. Whether and for whom COVID-19 vaccinations are still justified is unclear. We use nationwide estimates of IFR and literature-derived estimates of vaccine effectiveness (VE) to calculate numbers needed to vaccinate to prevent one COVID-19 death (NNV) and for one life-year saved (LYS) in Austria in 2024.
Methods: In this retrospective analysis, we calculate SARS-CoV-2 IFR during 2024 in Austria according to previously published wastewater-based infection estimates and available mortality data. Using literature-derived VE estimates, we calculate NNV to prevent one COVID-19 death and for one LYS in strata according to age groups, nursing home residency and vaccination in 2024. We repeat analyses with sensitivity range values of parameters.
Results: In 2024, total IFR was .048%. NNV (LYS) in the age groups 0-19, 20-39, 40-59, 60-74 and 75-84 years was very high: i.e. 5,497,526 (151,570), 2,432,498 (92,614), 415,714 (24,777), 35,925 (3748) and 4882 (1009), respectively, in community dwellers. In the 85+ years age group, IFRs of unvaccinated/vaccinated were .91%/.77% for community dwellers and 1.22%/1.04% for nursing home residents. The 85+ year age group had NNV estimates of 1215 and 907 (LYS: 525 and 1896) in community dwellers and nursing home residents, respectively. Sensitivity analyses yielded LYS < 1000 only under some favourable assumptions in the 75-84 and 85+ years old age strata.
Conclusions: In 2024 in Austria, SARS-CoV-2 IFR was low and NNV and LYS of COVID-19 vaccinations correspondingly non-favorably high, even for very old individuals.
Keywords: COVID‐19; infection fatality rate; life‐year saved; number needed to vaccinate; vaccination.
© 2025 The Author(s). European Journal of Clinical Investigation published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation.