Clinical Scorecard: Efficacy and Longevity of the BNT162b2 KP.2 Vaccine in Preventing COVID-19 Hospitalizations and Emergency Care Visits Among Adults in the United States

At a Glance

Key Highlights

• Vaccine effectiveness (VE) against COVID-19 hospital admissions was 49% within 3 months of vaccination, waning to 35% after 3 months.
• VE against emergency department/urgent care visits was 45% within 3 months, decreasing to 26% after 3 months.
• Protection persisted beyond 90 days post-vaccination and remained high regardless of prior COVID-19 vaccination and among older adults.

Guideline-Based Recommendations

Diagnosis

• Use PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 in patients presenting with acute respiratory infection symptoms in hospital, ED, or UC settings.

Management

• Administer BNT162b2 KP.2 vaccine to individuals aged 6 months and older to protect against COVID-19 caused by KP.2 sublineage.
• Consider coadministration of COVID-19 and influenza vaccines to improve uptake.

Monitoring & Follow-up

• Monitor vaccine effectiveness over time, noting waning protection beyond 3 months.
• Track COVID-19 hospitalizations and ED/UC visits to assess ongoing vaccine impact.

Risks

• No specific vaccine-related risks detailed in the study; general vaccine safety monitoring implied.

Patient & Prescribing Data

Adults aged 18 years and older, including older adults (≥50 and ≥65 years), with or without prior COVID-19 vaccination.

BNT162b2 KP.2 vaccine provides moderate protection against COVID-19 hospitalizations and emergency care visits, with some waning after 3 months; effectiveness consistent across age groups and prior vaccination status.

Clinical Best Practices

• Prioritize vaccination with BNT162b2 KP.2 vaccine during the 2024–2025 season to reduce COVID-19 hospitalizations and emergency care visits.
• Encourage vaccination especially among older adults and those with prior COVID-19 vaccination to maintain high protection.
• Promote coadministration of COVID-19 and influenza vaccines to increase overall vaccine uptake.
• Use test-negative case-control methodology for ongoing vaccine effectiveness surveillance.

References

• CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices 2024–2025 COVID-19 Vaccination Recommendations
• FDA Authorization of Updated Monovalent mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Targeting KP.2 Sublineage
• Kaiser Permanente Southern California COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness Study