Whatever my personal and research perspectives on the benefits of vaccination in high risk groups for severe COVID-19, some lines in clinical practice should not be crossed. Patients will not forget it. Current evidence is suggestive that Omicron can be spread just as efficiently within the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups.
The issue of reduction in severe outcomes due to vaccination is not at all clear. This will take years to figure out, given the poor quality of data in most places. Moreover, in places with better data there are so many confounders. In any case, if in fact the vaccines do protect against serious outcomes the same can be said of many early and not so early treatments. What is apparent, is that letting hospitals be the central focus of the c19 response has not been optimal. Initiating placebo RCTs unethical and slow, and largely hospital oriented has not helped. It’s all been a mess, one politicians, academics and PH will have to live with.
The issue of reduction in severe outcomes due to vaccination is not at all clear. This will take years to figure out, given the poor quality of data in most places. Moreover, in places with better data there are so many confounders. In any case, if in fact the vaccines do protect against serious outcomes the same can be said of many early and not so early treatments. What is apparent, is that letting hospitals be the central focus of the c19 response has not been optimal. Initiating placebo RCTs unethical and slow, and largely hospital oriented has not helped. It’s all been a mess, one politicians, academics and PH will have to live with.