Duration of mRNA vaccine protection against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 subvariants in Qatar

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 13; no. 1; p. 3082
• Main Authors: Chemaitelly, Hiam, Ayoub, Houssein H., AlMukdad, Sawsan, Coyle, Peter, Tang, Patrick, Yassine, Hadi M., Al-Khatib, Hebah A., Smatti, Maria K., Hasan, Mohammad R., Al-Kanaani, Zaina, Al-Kuwari, Einas, Jeremijenko, Andrew, Kaleeckal, Anvar Hassan, Latif, Ali Nizar, Shaik, Riyazuddin Mohammad, Abdul-Rahim, Hanan F., Nasrallah, Gheyath K., Al-Kuwari, Mohamed Ghaith, Butt, Adeel A., Al-Romaihi, Hamad Eid, Al-Thani, Mohamed H., Al-Khal, Abdullatif, Bertollini, Roberto, Abu-Raddad, Laith J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 02.06.2022; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 2019-nCoV Vaccine mRNA-1273; 692/308/174; 692/699/255/2514; BNT162 Vaccine; Case-Control Studies; Coronaviruses; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 Vaccines; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Infections; mRNA; mRNA Vaccines; multidisciplinary; Qatar - epidemiology; SARS-CoV-2 - genetics; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Severe acute respiratory syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Vaccine efficacy; Vaccines; Vaccines, Synthetic; Qatar
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30895-3

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 subvariants are genetically divergent. We conducted a matched, test-negative, case-control study to estimate duration of protection of the second and third/booster doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines against BA.1 and BA.2 infections in Qatar. BNT162b2 effectiveness was highest at 46.6% (95% CI: 33.4–57.2%) against symptomatic BA.1 and at 51.7% (95% CI: 43.2–58.9%) against symptomatic BA.2 infections in the first three months after the second dose, but declined to ~10% or below thereafter. Effectiveness rebounded to 59.9% (95% CI: 51.2–67.0%) and 43.7% (95% CI: 36.5–50.0%), respectively, in the first month after the booster dose, before declining again. Effectiveness against COVID-19 hospitalization and death was 70–80% after the second dose and >90% after the booster dose. mRNA-1273 vaccine protection showed similar patterns. mRNA vaccines provide comparable, moderate, and short-lived protection against symptomatic BA.1 and BA.2 Omicron infections, but strong and durable protection against COVID-19 hospitalization and death. The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant has subvariants with divergent properties but relative vaccine effectiveness has not been characterized. Here, the authors show that mRNA vaccine effectiveness is similar for the subvariants BA.1 and BA.2, with a decline three months after the second dose and increase after the booster.