Protection map after 1, 2, and 3 doses

Three doses of the vaccine are effective against Omicron: Reduces the likelihood of hospitalization by 88% and reduces the likelihood of developing symptomatic illness by 63%. This was revealed by new British research published yesterday by the British Health Security Agency with a table explaining the risks associated with the new variant of COVID-19 The time elapsed since each vaccine dose. This is the first specific data on this issue, which was collected in the UK from 27 November to 24 December 2021 without distinguishing a vaccine (but it should be borne in mind that Great Britain Johnson & Johnson has not used).

Hospital admission risk

Omicron is still more contagious than Delta and the vaccine undoubtedly protects less against the disease itself, but remains effective against hospitalization and obvious symptoms. Protection, according to research, decreases 24 weeks after the second dose, then jumps again with the booster dose.

In detail, the first dose will reduce the risk of hospitalization by 52%, while the second will increase to 72% over the next 24 weeks. From the 25th week onwards, the risk of ending in hospital is 52%. And this is where the booster dose becomes critical, as the risk is reduced by 88% from the second week after vaccination and beyond. In practice, with the third dose, the risk of hospitalization is absolutely lowest.

the new Tweet embed Today’s report strongly enhances the benefit of 3rd shot (booster) vs. Omicron for reduced hospitalization: 88% https://t.co/gVl5c5o9nl (This is the first time we’ve seen VE data for enhanced versus severe disease) pic.twitter.com/8g2cGcl4eU

Eric Topol (@EricTopol) December 31, 2021

The risk of developing a symptomatic disease

The same applies to the risk of contracting Covid with symptoms: after three doses of the vaccine, it is reduced by 63%, compared to 26% after the first dose and 18% within 24 weeks after the second. The critical number here is the 25th week after the second dose: protection against symptomatic disease is almost zero and risk reduced by only 2%. Currently, it is not known how long the protection provided by a booster dose will last.