A study on COVID vaccine effectiveness that was suppressed by the CDC's acting director, due to its test-negative design, has been published in a major journal.Test-negative designs have been used for decades by the CDC for routine influenza vaccine monitoring.The case-control study showed that the estimated vaccine effectiveness rate was 50% against COVID-associated emergency department and urgent care visits and 55% against COVID-associated hospitalizations among adults.
The COVID vaccine study that was suppressed by the acting CDC director earlier this year has now been published in a JAMA journal.
The case-control study showed that the estimated vaccine effectiveness (VE) rate during the 2025-2026 COVID season's first 4 months was 50% (95% CI 42-57) against COVID-associated emergency department (ED) and urgent care visits and 55% (95% CI 41-66) against COVID-associated hospitalizations among adults, reported Ruth Link-Gelles, PhD, MPH, of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, and colleagues.
The numbers were slightly lower among adults 65 and older, with estimated VE rates of 48% (95% CI 37-56) against ED/urgent care visits and 53% (95% CI 37-65) against hospitalizations.
