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A log-odds system for waning and boosting of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness.

Szanyi J, Wilson T, Scott N, Blakely T

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  • Journal Vaccine

  • Published 20 May 2022

  • Volume 40

  • ISSUE 28

  • Pagination 3821-3824

  • DOI 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.05.039

Abstract

Immunity to SARS-CoV-2 following vaccination wanes over time in a non-linear fashion, making modelling of likely population impacts of COVID-19 policy options challenging. We observed that it was possible to mathematize non-linear waning of vaccine effectiveness (VE) on the percentage scale as linear waning on the log-odds scale, and developed a random effects logistic regression equation based on UK Health Security Agency data to model VE against Omicron following two and three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. VE on the odds scale reduced by 47% per month for symptomatic infection after two vaccine doses, lessening to 35% per month for hospitalisation. Waning on the odds scale after triple dose vaccines was 35% per month for symptomatic disease and 19% for hospitalisation. This log-odds system for estimating waning and boosting of COVID-19 VE provides a simple solution that may be used to parametrize SARS-CoV-2 immunity over time parsimoniously in epidemiological models.