Study: Updated COVID shot cut hospitalizations, deaths

Published: Thursday, October 9, 2025 at 4:30 pm

Updated COVID-19 Boosters Show Benefit in Preventing Severe Outcomes, Study Finds

A recent study published in *The New England Journal of Medicine* indicates that updated COVID-19 vaccines, specifically those from Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech, provided additional protection against severe outcomes for U.S. military veterans. The research focused on the 2024-2025 boosters.

The study compared outcomes between vaccinated veterans who received both a COVID-19 booster and a flu shot, and those who only received a flu vaccine. The majority of participants were at least 45 years old. Researchers tracked over 295,000 veterans over a six-month period.

The findings revealed that veterans who received the COVID-19 booster experienced a 29% decrease in emergency department visits, a 39% decrease in hospitalizations, and a 64% decrease in deaths compared to those who only received the flu vaccine. The benefits were observed across different age groups and regardless of pre-existing chronic medical conditions.

While the added impact of the COVID-19 shot was relatively small in absolute terms, the study authors noted that this is likely due to the milder nature of current circulating virus strains and the increased immunity from prior infections and vaccinations. The study estimated that vaccination resulted in 18.3 fewer emergency department visits, 7.5 fewer hospitalizations, and 2.2 fewer deaths per 10,000 patients.

The researchers acknowledged that the study was not a randomized trial and therefore cannot definitively prove the vaccines prevented the severe outcomes. However, the data suggests that vaccination remained a beneficial option, particularly given the low risk of vaccination in the studied population. The study also found that vaccine effectiveness appeared to wane modestly during the six-month study period.

BNN's Perspective:

This study provides further evidence supporting the continued utility of updated COVID-19 vaccines, particularly for vulnerable populations. While the impact may be smaller than during the initial pandemic phases, the reduction in hospitalizations and deaths is a positive outcome. It's important to consider individual risk factors and consult with healthcare professionals to make informed decisions about vaccination.

Keywords: COVID-19 vaccine, booster, hospitalization, death, emergency room, veterans, Moderna, Pfizer, BioNTech, flu vaccine, vaccination, study, New England Journal of Medicine, vaccine effectiveness, severe outcomes

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