Updated COVID shots reduced severe illness and hospitalizations, US study shows
Source: Luis AlvarezGetty Images Key Points: COVID vaccine effectiveness lowers severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Protects all ages and those with chronic conditions. Remains a safe, effective option. A large U.S. study found that updated COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech significantly reduced severe illness, hospitalizations, and deaths among vaccinated individuals last year, demonstrating ongoing COVID vaccine effectiveness. The findings, published Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine, are based on data from more than 295,000 U.S. military veterans. Researchers compared 164,132 veterans who received both the 2024–2025 COVID booster and a flu shot with 131,839 who received only the flu vaccine. Most participants were at least 45 years old, and nearly all vaccinated individuals received one of the two authorized mRNA-based boosters. Over a six-month period, those who received both shots were 29% less likely to visit the emergency department,...