Editor’s Note: See Medscape’s latest COVID-19 news and guidance. coronavirus resource center.
Vaccination against COVID-19 prevented 3.2 million deaths and 18.5 million hospitalizations in the United States from December 2020 to November 2022according to a new report Tuesday from the Commonwealth Foundation and the Yale School of Public Health.
The report, created from computer modeling, was released as the United States approached its second anniversary. First dose of COVID Vaccines in the country to nurse Sandra Lindsay on December 14, 2020.
Cost savings from avoided healthcare costs could save the U.S. healthcare system up to $1.15 trillion, according to a team led by Meagan C. Fitzpatrick, Ph.D., of the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health at the University of Maryland. . Baltimore.
“Without vaccination, there would have been nearly 120 million more people infected with COVID-19,” the authors wrote.
In the last two years, the US has given more than 655 million doses, with 80% of the population receiving at least one dose, according to the report.
Reduction in cases, hospitalizations and deaths
Since December 12, 2020, 82 million infections, 4.8 million hospitalizations, and 798,000 deaths from COVID-19 have been reported in the United States, according to research data.
Models show that without vaccination, the US would have 1.5 times more cases, 3.8 times more hospitalizations, and 4.1 times more deaths.
all variants considered
In this study, we considered the original SARS-CoV-2 strain plus five variant patterns including iota, alpha, gamma, delta and omicron. Each of these variants accounts for at least 3% of US cases.
“We assessed the impact of vaccine deployment by simulating the trajectory of the pandemic under a no-vaccination counterfactual scenario,” the authors wrote.
“This report highlights a fundamental and important fact that vaccines save lives,” said Syra Madad, DHSc, senior director of the System-wide Special Pathogens Program at NYC Health and Hospitals. .
She says this study, and last month’s study JAMA network open An examination of New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine campaign and its return on investment found that the campaign “reduces the number of cases and deaths, reduces hospitalization rates, avoids healthcare costs, keeps healthier and more, and more.” provide broader economic benefits”. productive workforce. ”
A New York report last month found that every $1 invested in vaccination yields an estimated $10.19 savings in direct and indirect costs that would have been incurred without the vaccine. .
Timothy Brewer, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine and epidemiology at UCLA, says the range of savings estimates is fairly narrow and highly reliable.
He said this prediction is consistent with recent findings that the second booster continues to provide higher protection against hospitalization and death (compared to the first booster). CDC investigation Over 9,500 nursing home residents.
“I think those are likely very reasonable numbers,” says Brewer.
He said the measure of vaccine success is the primary goal of vaccines, and that it’s important to keep the focus on the number of preventable hospitalizations and deaths rather than breakthrough infections.
Numbers may underestimate savings
Co-author Allison Galvani, Ph.D., founding director of the Yale Center for Infectious Disease Modeling and Analysis, said the model is only for acute infections and may underestimate the overall benefit. I’m here.
She pointed out that fewer infections also mean, for example, fewer cases and the associated costs of long-term COVID.
Galvani said that while the study was conducted in the United States, saving and preventing infections could inspire other countries struggling with vaccination efforts and organizations distributing vaccines to resource-poor countries. said to be sexual.
“The numbers are staggering,” said William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.
“This is a report to the American people,” he says. Neighbors, your friends were with you today and were vaccinated so you can celebrate the holiday. “
sauce
Syra Madad, MD, Senior Director, System-Wide Special Pathogen Program, New York City Health Hospital.
JAMA network open: “Return on investment for a COVID-19 vaccination campaign in New York City.”
Timothy Brewer, MD, Professor of Infectious Diseases, UCLA David Geffen College of Medicine and Professor of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
CDC: “Effectiveness of a Second COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Against Infection, Hospitalization, or Death in Nursing Home Residents – 19 States, March 29–July 25, 2022.”