COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing symptomatic and severe infection among healthcare workers: A clinical review.
Galgut O., Ashford F., Deeks A., Ghataure A., Islam M., Sambhi T., Ker YW., Duncan CJA., de Silva TI., Hopkins S., Hall V., Klenerman P., Dunachie S., Richter A.
INTRODUCTION: Health care workers (HCWs) have been at increased risk of infection during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and as essential workers have been prioritised for vaccination. Due to increased exposure HCW are considered a predictor of what might happen in the general population, particularly working age adults. This study aims to summarise effect of vaccination in this 'at risk' cohort. METHODS: Ovid MEDLINE and Embase were searched, and 358 individual articles were identified. Of these 49 met the inclusion criteria for review and 14 were included in a meta-analysis. RESULTS: Participants included were predominantly female and working age. Median time to infection was 51 days. Reported vaccine effectiveness against infection, symptomatic infection, and infection requiring hospitalisation were between 5 and 100 %, 34 and 100 %, and 65 and 100 % (respectively). No vaccinated HCW deaths were recorded in any study. Pooled estimates of protection against infection, symptomatic infection, and hospitalisation were, respectively, 84.7 % (95 % CI 72.6-91.5 %, p