Effectiveness of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19 hospitalisations and deaths in elderly long-term care facility residents, Spain, weeks 53 2020 to 13 2021
Eurosurveillance·
- DOI
- 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2021.26.24.2100452
- PMID
- —
- PMCID
- —
- OpenAlex
- W3166524079
- Study type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC)
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
The findings support the prioritization of long-term care facility residents for COVID-19 vaccination and demonstrate high effectiveness of mRNA vaccines in this vulnerable population, particularly for preventing severe outcomes.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
This study estimated the effectiveness of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections, COVID-19 hospitalizations, and deaths among elderly residents of long-term care facilities in Spain.
Study design
The authors used the screening method with population-based data sources to estimate vaccine effectiveness during weeks 53 of 2020 through week 13 of 2021.
Population and setting
The study population consisted of elderly residents living in long-term care facilities in Spain, a group that experienced substantial COVID-19 morbidity and mortality and received priority for early vaccination.
Main findings
Vaccine effectiveness estimates were 71% (95% CI: 56–82%) against SARS-CoV-2 infections including both symptomatic and asymptomatic cases, 88% (95% CI: 75–95%) against COVID-19 hospitalizations, and 97% (95% CI: 92–99%) against COVID-19 deaths.
Public-health relevance
The findings support the prioritization of long-term care facility residents for COVID-19 vaccination and demonstrate high effectiveness of mRNA vaccines in this vulnerable population, particularly for preventing severe outcomes.
Important limitations
This summary is limited to the supplied single-article abstract and metadata. The original peer-reviewed paper is required for decision-grade interpretation, including methodological details, potential biases, and full context of the screening method application.
GIDS interpretation
This article would be discoverable through disease classifiers for SARS and COVID-19, country classifier for Spain, and topic classifiers for outbreak investigation, vaccination, and vaccine effectiveness. It provides vaccine effectiveness evidence from a specific vulnerable population and time period.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 12 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.