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A new analysis published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found the 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccines provided meaningful protection against the need for emergency department or urgent care visits related to COVID-19 in children. Using a test-negative design, researchers found vaccine effectiveness was 76% (95% confidence interval [CI], 58%–87%) for children aged 9 months-4 years and 56% (95% CI, 35%–70%) for those aged 5-17 years. Protection persisted with extended follow-up through 299 days. Approximately 38,000 hospitalizations occurred among U.S. children in 2023–2024, with rates as high as 600 per 100,000 among infants less than 6 months. Updated COVID-19 vaccine recommendations from June 2024, which suggested vaccination for everyone 6 months and older, added measurable protection, the authors say. They also note the recent shift from universal to shared clinical decision-making regarding COVID-19 vaccination will need further monitoring to determine impact on vaccine effectiveness.
Big picture: Overall, researchers have estimated that COVID-19 vaccines saved 2.5 million to 19.8 million lives globally.