Rockville, Md. – A study of essential and frontline workers with COVID-19 showed that two or three mRNA vaccine doses produced significant benefits. The study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that recent vaccinations reduced fever and chills, hours of work missed, the need for medical care, and the amount of virus in the bloodstream (viral load) compared with those who were unvaccinated.
The study for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), conducted by a team that included Abt Global researchers, involved 1,199 participants from six U.S. states who collected nasal specimens weekly--regardless of symptoms and at the onset of symptoms—from December 14, 2020, to April 19, 2022, and tested positive for COVID-19 infection. The study found that two or three vaccine doses less than 150 days before a Delta infection and three doses before an Omicron infection were significantly associated with milder COVID-19 symptoms, while two doses before either variant were significantly associated with a lower viral load.
The study confirmed substantial differences between Delta and Omicron. While only 3.9 percent of Delta infections were asymptomatic, 20.2 percent of Omicron infections were. If people didn’t know they had Omicron, they could have been unwitting spreaders and contributed to Omicron’s higher transmission rate.
The report noted that the precision and statistical significance of some estimates varied and could have been affected by “confounders,” that is, non-medical factors. For example, different employer isolation protocols could affect the number of work hours missed.
“These factors are a growing issue for this kind of research as people’s behavior changes, especially when vaccinated and unvaccinated people also behave differently in other ways,” says Abt Health Economics Principal Associate Lauren Olsho, a co-author of the article. “Our study suggests staying up to date with your vaccinations and boosters can help keep you from getting as sick. But especially if we do see a big winter surge, additional precautions like masking can still be another layer of protection even if you are vacinated.”
“It’s hard to say what will happen from here as masking becomes less common across the board. Everyone wants to get back to normal even though hundreds of people still die from COVID-19 in the U.S. every day,” she added. “COVID-19 is still very much with us.”
About Abt Global
Abt Global is a global consulting and research firm that combines data and bold thinking to improve the quality of people's lives. We partner with clients and communities to advance equity and innovation—from creating scalable digital solutions and combatting infectious disease, to mitigating climate change and evaluating programs for measurable social impact. https://www.abtglobal.com
Contact:
Stan Crock
stan_crock@abtassoc.com
(301) 347-5402
Read Our Latest News
Abt to Evaluate Sickle Cell Disease Treatment; Improve Quality in Nursing Homes, Post-Acute Care Settings
Abt Global is helping CMS determine whether a new program increases access to cell and gene therapy treatment while reducing healthcare costs.
Abt to Manage Australia’s Main Development Program for Fiji
The Australian Government recently awarded Abt Global a contract to manage a $90 million umbrella program covering half of Australia’s development assistance to Fiji.
Abt Leads Decision Support for FCDO Land Governance Programme
Abt Global Britain has been appointed to lead the Decision Support Unit of the Land Facility, funded by the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office.
Public Warning: Recruitment Phishing Scam Impersonating Abt Global
Abt Global has become aware of a phishing scheme targeting individuals with fraudulent interview requests and job offers. Abt’s secure IT systems and private applicant information have not been compromised; scammers are impersonating Abt employees, using the company name and branding to mislead and engage potential job seekers in fake recruitment processes. Scammers might reference real job openings or describe fake opportunities that generally match individuals’ professional backgrounds, with the goal of establishing communication and eventually obtaining private financial information to defraud people. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Federal Trade Commission warn that employment scams such as this are a growing cyber threat. Abt urges anyone who is contacted about employment opportunities to exercise caution and know that: All communication from Abt Global will be from an Abt employee using the @abtglobal.com email domain (e.g., recruiting@abtglobal.com). We do not use third-party recruiters. Abt Global recruiters will only schedule interviews for candidates who have applied for a position through our secure portal. You may view your application status through the applicant portal on Abt Global Careers. No corporate or IT systems at Abt are affected by this scam. The scammers are using Abt’s logo and employee names to impersonate the company. You can directly contact us at recruiting@abtglobal.com with any questions or concerns. Abt is committed to ensuring the safety and security of our community. We caution individuals to be vigilant in protecting personal data and vetting communication with new contacts from any company. Do not respond or provide any personal information if contacted by someone claiming to represent a company to which you did not submit a job application or profile. This scam can be perpetrated against any business and individuals who recognize and trust its name. For information on Abt recruitment practices and policies, please visit our careers page or email recruiting@abtglobal.com. To report a scam, visit: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/.