COVID-19 vaccine saved more than 5,000 U.S. lives in 2023-2024

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the COVID-19 vaccine saved more than 5,000 U.S. lives and prevented 13,000 intensive care unit admissions and 68,000 hospitalizations from Oct. 1, 2023 to April 21, 2024. The researchers, who published the study in Vaccine, conducted a model using causal inference, conditional probabilities of hospitalization and correlations between data elements in simulation. Older adults had the greatest averted burden. The authors say their results support CDC recommendations for everyone aged six months and older to get an updated COVID-19 vaccination. They note updated vaccination is particularly important for adults aged 65 years or older, given their increased risk compared with younger people. (CIDRAP article, 2/7/25)