New York, Nov 30, : Although covid-19 infections are rare in ‘fully’ vaccinated people, they are more common in those with weaker immune systems.This is according to a retrospective study by Pfizer, which involved nearly 1.2 million people. People with immunocompromised conditions include people with advanced HIV/AIDS, cancer and kidney disease, rheumatologic, other inflammatory conditions, other immune disorders, bone marrow transplant recipients, and those with other conditions such as rheumatologic, autoimmune, or other inflammatory conditions.
The findings, published in the Journal of Medical Economics, showed that the proportion of people with breakthrough infections was three times higher among immunocompromised individuals (0.18 per cent) than among the reference group of non-immunocompromised individuals (0.06 per cent).
Only 0.08 percent of fully vaccinated individuals had a breakthrough infection.Although immunocompromised people accounted for only 18% of the total population, they were responsible for more than 38 percent of all infections, nearly 60% of all hospitalisations, and 100% of deaths.
Manuela Di Fusco, lead author of the Pfizer Health Economics and Outcomes Research team, stated that the results “complement other real-world studies and support the introduction a third dose Covid-19 vaccine in order to increase protection among immunocompromised people.”
“Several countries are experiencing a resurgence in SARS-CoV-2 infection despite the implementation of mass vaccination programmes.”While Covid-19 mRNA vaccinations can help prevent people from becoming infected and seriously ill, it is not possible to completely eliminate the risk of developing breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated individuals,” Di Fusco said.
Pfizer researchers analysed the healthcare records of 1,277.747 people 16 and over who had received two doses BNT162b2 Covid-19 vaccine mRNA vaccine, between December 10, 2020, and July 8, 2021.From this group, 225 796 were found to be immunocompromised.
The study found that 978 breakthrough infections were reported among 1,176,907 fully-vaccinated people who had received at least two weeks’ follow-up.One hundred and twelve of these breakthrough infections required hospital treatment.74 of them were immunocompromised.Two people died (both were immunocompromised).
About 2 percent of all breakthrough infections were caused by immunocompromised patients.
Many countries, including the USA, Israel, France and Israel, have approved an additional dose of a Covid-19 mRNA vaccination for certain immunocompromised patients.
In October, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended that people with weak immune systems receive an additional dose Covid-19 vaccine due to their increased risk of developing breakthrough infections.
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