A third COVID-19 mRNA vaccine dose provides improved protection against COVID-19-associated hospitalization among immunocompromised adults, according to a new study published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Thursday.
In the study involving 2,952 hospitalized adults, researchers found that a third dose increased vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization from 69 percent to 88 percent among the immunocompromised, and 82 percent to 97 percent among those without immune-compromising conditions.
The third dose was defined as a full dose in immunocompromised people or a booster dose among immunocompetent adults.
These findings underscore the importance of immunocompromised adults obtaining a third mRNA vaccine dose 28 days after the second vaccine dose, and of immunocompetent adults receiving a third dose five months after the second dose, according to the CDC.