Protection of vaccine boosters and prior infection against mild/asymptomatic and moderate COVID-19 infection in the UK SIREN healthcare worker cohort: October 2023 to March 2024

Objectives

Bivalent original/BA.4–5 and monovalent XBB.1.5 mRNA boosters were offered to UK healthcare workers (HCWs) in the autumn of 2023. We aimed to estimate booster vaccine effectiveness (VE) and post-infection immunity among the SIREN HCW cohort over the subsequent 6-month period of XBB.1.5 and JN.1 variant circulation.

Methods

Between October 2023 to March 2024, 2867 SIREN study participants tested fortnightly for SARS-CoV-2 and completed symptoms questionnaires. We used multi-state models, adjusted for vaccination, prior infection, and demographic covariates, to estimate protection against mild/asymptomatic and moderate SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Results

Half of the participants (1422) received a booster during October 2023 (280 bivalent, 1142 monovalent), and 536 (19%) had a PCR-confirmed infection over the study period. Bivalent booster VE was 15.1% (−55.4 to 53.6%) at 0–2 months and 4.2% (−46.4 to 37.3%) at 2–4 months post-vaccination. Monovalent booster VE was 44.2% (95% CI 21.7 to 60.3%) at 0–2 months, and 24.1% (−0.7 to 42.9%) at 2–4 months. VE was greater against moderate infection than against mild/asymptomatic infection, but neither booster showed evidence of protection after 4 months. Controlling for vaccination, compared to an infection >2 years prior, infection within the past 6 months was associated with 58.6% (30.3 to 75.4%) increased protection against moderate infection and 38.5% (5.8 to 59.8%) increased protection against mild/asymptomatic infection.

Conclusions

Monovalent XBB.1.5 boosters provided short-term protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection, particularly against moderate symptoms. Vaccine formulations that target the circulating variant may be suitable for inclusion in seasonal vaccination campaigns among HCWs.