The findings of this study of 15,000 nursing homes suggest that before the Omicron variant wave, increasing staff vaccination rates was associated with lower incidence of COVID-19 cases and deaths among residents and staff in U.S. nursing homes. However, as newer, more infectious and transmissible variants of the virus emerged, the original 2-dose regimen of the COVID-19 vaccine as recommended in December 2020 was no longer associated with lower rates of adverse COVID-19 outcomes in nursing homes. Policy makers may want to consider longer-term policy options to increase the uptake of booster doses among staff in nursing homes.
Authors: Soham Sinha, M.S., of the University of Chicago, is the corresponding author.
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(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.49002)
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