A study in PLOS ONE has found that all measures of hospitalization for COVID-19 infection were significantly lower in the partly or fully vaccinated in comparison to the non-vaccinated among a private health insured population in South Africa. This retrospective cohort study is based on the analysis of demographic and claims records for 550,332 individuals belonging to two health insurance funds between 1 March 2020 and 31 December 2022. The analysis estimates the impact of vaccination on COVID-19 hospitalization risk, hospital utilization and hospital expenditure for COVID-19 infection, with adjustments for age, sex, comorbidities and province of residence.
In comparison to the non-vaccinated, the hospitalization rate for COVID-19 was 95% and 93% lower for the partly and fully vaccinated respectively; hospital utilization was 18% and 20% lower; the relative risk of zero hospital days was 4.34 and 18.55 higher; hospital expenditure was 33% and 55% lower; and the relative risk of zero hospital expenditure was 4.38 and 18.61 higher for the partly and fully vaccinated respectively.
Taken together, findings indicate that all measures of hospitalization for COVID-19 infection were significantly lower in the partly or fully vaccinated in comparison to the non-vaccinated. While the overall results may not be generalizable to other populations, the findings add to the evidence based on the impact of COVID-19 vaccination during the period of the pandemic.
Thumbnail image credit: Medicines Patent Pool / Rodger Bosch
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