In the first real-world test of vaccine boosters specially designed to protect against the omicron variant, Israeli researchers have found that people 65 and over who got an updated jab were 81% less likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than those who did not.
The preliminary findings, posted to a website established by the British medical journal Lancet, have not yet been through the peer-review process. They are based on the medical records of more than 85,000 people 65 and over who got a dose of Pfizer and BioNTech’s retooled mRNA booster and more than 537,000 others in the same age group who did not get the shot.
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A pharmacist prepares to administer COVID-19 vaccine booster shots during an event hosted by the Chicago Department of Public Health at the Southwest Senior Center on Sept. 9, 2022, in Chicago.
During a 70-day period between late September and mid-December of 2022, 297 people in the larger, unboosted group were hospitalized and 73 died. During the same period, six people in the boosted group were hospitalized and one died. When the Israeli researchers crunched the numbers, they determined that the boosters reduced a recipient’s risk of hospitalization to about one-fifth that of an unboosted person.
Those results suggest that — in the initial weeks after vaccination at least — the omicron-specific vaccines are even more effective than had been previously documented. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention assessed their efficacy in preventing hospitalization at between 31% and 73%.
The Israeli findings also suggest that the new boosters may help fend off COVID-19 deaths as well as hospitalizations. As a statistical matter, however, the small numbers of deaths in the study population make it difficult to draw such a conclusion with high confidence.
The study’s authors, who are from Israel’s Clalit Health Services and several Israeli universities, wrote that their findings “highlight the importance of bivalent-booster vaccination in this high-risk population, and the necessity to increase efforts to encourage eligible people to be vaccinated.”
The omicron-specific vaccines are called “bivalent” boosters because they use two prompts to train the immune system to recognize the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. In addition to going after the original strain that was detected in December 2019, they also target the omicron variant, which began circulating in November 2021.
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Canva
Nurses have the opportunity to make a significant impact on their patients. While working to help heal and save lives may be rewarding, it can also take a physical, mental, and emotional toll. Though COVID-19 hospitalizations appear to have eased from their peak, the health care industry has taken a hit like never before.
With the extreme demands and working conditions in recent years, it's no wonder nurses are reassessing whether they want to remain employed in the health care industry. Nearly 1 in 4 nurses said they are "somewhat" or "extremely likely" to leave nursing due to the pandemic, according to a 2021 AMN Healthcare survey; 34% of nurses are "very likely" to leave their job by the end of 2022, a 2021 Incredible Health study found.
Study.com compiled a list of six common reasons nurses say they are leaving their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, using data from the 2021 Survey of Registered Nurses published by AMN Healthcare. The survey received 14,737 responses and included 7,108 completed surveys from registered nurses located in the U.S. Percentages tabulated from the survey responses may not equal 100% due to rounding.
Despite median salary increases for registered nurses in recent years, the outlook for nurses remaining in the industry appears grim. The strain of the profession has led to extreme levels of stress and depression to the point that there has been increased suicides among health care workers since the onset of the pandemic. Pre-pandemic, the quit rate for those in health care and social assistance hovered around 2%, according to BLS data. The quit rate peaked in August 2021 at 3.1%, the highest for the sector in at least the past decade.
Read on to learn how the COVID-19 pandemic has caused nurses to leave their fields.
Canva
Nurses have the opportunity to make a significant impact on their patients. While working to help heal and save lives may be rewarding, it can also take a physical, mental, and emotional toll. Though COVID-19 hospitalizations appear to have eased from their peak, the health care industry has taken a hit like never before.
With the extreme demands and working conditions in recent years, it's no wonder nurses are reassessing whether they want to remain employed in the health care industry. Nearly 1 in 4 nurses said they are "somewhat" or "extremely likely" to leave nursing due to the pandemic, according to a 2021 AMN Healthcare survey; 34% of nurses are "very likely" to leave their job by the end of 2022, a 2021 Incredible Health study found.
Study.com compiled a list of six common reasons nurses say they are leaving their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, using data from the 2021 Survey of Registered Nurses published by AMN Healthcare. The survey received 14,737 responses and included 7,108 completed surveys from registered nurses located in the U.S. Percentages tabulated from the survey responses may not equal 100% due to rounding.
Despite median salary increases for registered nurses in recent years, the outlook for nurses remaining in the industry appears grim. The strain of the profession has led to extreme levels of stress and depression to the point that there has been increased suicides among health care workers since the onset of the pandemic. Pre-pandemic, the quit rate for those in health care and social assistance hovered around 2%, according to BLS data. The quit rate peaked in August 2021 at 3.1%, the highest for the sector in at least the past decade.
Read on to learn how the COVID-19 pandemic has caused nurses to leave their fields.
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Canva
- Among those likely to leave nursing: 51%
- Among those unlikely to leave: 14% (health concerns), 28% (work-related risks)
When AMN Healthcare completed its survey, findings showed that 18% of RNs received a COVID-19 diagnosis, which was 1.8 times higher compared to the the general population, according to the report. Such health risks likely drove up stress levels as nurses feared contracting the virus from their patients or coworkers, how their bodies would respond to it, and exposing it to their families. In the initial stages of the pandemic, vaccines hadn't rolled out yet, and the death toll across the country due to the virus was high. Nurses were often exposed as they dealt directly with patients who needed COVID-19 treatment.
Canva
- Among those likely to leave nursing: 51%
- Among those unlikely to leave: 14% (health concerns), 28% (work-related risks)
When AMN Healthcare completed its survey, findings showed that 18% of RNs received a COVID-19 diagnosis, which was 1.8 times higher compared to the the general population, according to the report. Such health risks likely drove up stress levels as nurses feared contracting the virus from their patients or coworkers, how their bodies would respond to it, and exposing it to their families. In the initial stages of the pandemic, vaccines hadn't rolled out yet, and the death toll across the country due to the virus was high. Nurses were often exposed as they dealt directly with patients who needed COVID-19 treatment.
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Photographee.eu // Shutterstock
- Among those likely to leave nursing: 59%
- Among those unlikely to leave: 17%
Heavier workloads, longer hours, understaffed hospitals, and dwindling room for work-life balance all contribute to the nationwide nurse shortage. While the pandemic may not have created burnout for nurses and other medical professionals, it certainly intensified the work environment for many health care employees. Eighty-one percent of nurses expressed feeling exhausted, 71% said they were overwhelmed, and 65% responded that they felt anxiety, according to a 2021 American Nurses Foundation survey.
Additionally, a March 2021 report in the Journal of Advanced Nursing found risk factors associated with burnout include increased workload, feelings of anxiousness concerning contracting COVID-19, and "working in a high-risk environment."
Photographee.eu // Shutterstock
- Among those likely to leave nursing: 59%
- Among those unlikely to leave: 17%
Heavier workloads, longer hours, understaffed hospitals, and dwindling room for work-life balance all contribute to the nationwide nurse shortage. While the pandemic may not have created burnout for nurses and other medical professionals, it certainly intensified the work environment for many health care employees. Eighty-one percent of nurses expressed feeling exhausted, 71% said they were overwhelmed, and 65% responded that they felt anxiety, according to a 2021 American Nurses Foundation survey.
Additionally, a March 2021 report in the Journal of Advanced Nursing found risk factors associated with burnout include increased workload, feelings of anxiousness concerning contracting COVID-19, and "working in a high-risk environment."
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Canva
- Among those likely to leave nursing: 61%
- Among those unlikely to leave: 20%
As front-line workers, nurses have been feeling the emotional and physical weight of the pandemic. It takes a lot to handle multiple patients while caring for their families and personal lives. At times, in the earlier stages of the pandemic, hospitals would double the number of beds in the intensive care unit but weren't equipped with enough nursing staff to match the volume of patients. The number of patients, along with the nurse's fear of contracting the virus, impacted the emotional health of many in the health care industry.
Canva
- Among those likely to leave nursing: 61%
- Among those unlikely to leave: 20%
As front-line workers, nurses have been feeling the emotional and physical weight of the pandemic. It takes a lot to handle multiple patients while caring for their families and personal lives. At times, in the earlier stages of the pandemic, hospitals would double the number of beds in the intensive care unit but weren't equipped with enough nursing staff to match the volume of patients. The number of patients, along with the nurse's fear of contracting the virus, impacted the emotional health of many in the health care industry.
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Canva
- Among those likely to leave nursing: 62%
- Among those unlikely to leave: 28%
A healthy work-life balance is vital in all industries—not just nursing—as people can take time for themselves to relax, spend time with loved ones, and pursue personal hobbies or interests.
The Nurse Salary Research Report also showed that 83% of nurses expressed that salary was one of the reasons they chose to become a travel nurse specifically; 36% surveyed suggested flexible working hours were the reason. The travel nurse sector grew by 40% in 2021 as there was surging demand for nurses, especially at the height of the pandemic when there was a nationwide shortage of health care workers. When hospitals were overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, hiring departments turned to travel nurses to get more hands on deck to ensure units were fully staffed.
Working as a school nurse can also provide a work-life balance, and nurses in this sector may find it advantageous to work only during school hours. School nurses are usually required to treat students with acute injuries or who may show signs of a fever. Qualifications for a school nurse may include being able to practice as a registered nurse.
Canva
- Among those likely to leave nursing: 62%
- Among those unlikely to leave: 28%
A healthy work-life balance is vital in all industries—not just nursing—as people can take time for themselves to relax, spend time with loved ones, and pursue personal hobbies or interests.
The Nurse Salary Research Report also showed that 83% of nurses expressed that salary was one of the reasons they chose to become a travel nurse specifically; 36% surveyed suggested flexible working hours were the reason. The travel nurse sector grew by 40% in 2021 as there was surging demand for nurses, especially at the height of the pandemic when there was a nationwide shortage of health care workers. When hospitals were overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, hiring departments turned to travel nurses to get more hands on deck to ensure units were fully staffed.
Working as a school nurse can also provide a work-life balance, and nurses in this sector may find it advantageous to work only during school hours. School nurses are usually required to treat students with acute injuries or who may show signs of a fever. Qualifications for a school nurse may include being able to practice as a registered nurse.
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Cryptographer // Shutterstock
- Among those likely to leave nursing: 71%
- Among those unlikely to leave: 30%
Like many other professions, nurses have faced challenges even before the pandemic. But stress levels on the job for nurses were further exacerbated by the emergence of COVID-19. Medical professionals in 2020 found themselves at the forefront of an unprecedented global health crisis that would continue years later. The pandemic contributed to higher stress levels worldwide for medical professionals, leading to shortages in the U.S. workforce and burnout.
Since the pandemic, nurses have also incurred sleeping challenges. A study conducted from June through August 2020 published by the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that at least 1 in 5 nurses had depressive symptoms; more than half reported feelings of anxiety and noted having insomnia.
The lack of access to personal protective equipment during the earlier stages of the pandemic, the stress of caring for patients, and the shift in workload at their jobs all took a toll on nurses' mental health.
This story originally appeared on Study.com and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
Cryptographer // Shutterstock
- Among those likely to leave nursing: 71%
- Among those unlikely to leave: 30%
Like many other professions, nurses have faced challenges even before the pandemic. But stress levels on the job for nurses were further exacerbated by the emergence of COVID-19. Medical professionals in 2020 found themselves at the forefront of an unprecedented global health crisis that would continue years later. The pandemic contributed to higher stress levels worldwide for medical professionals, leading to shortages in the U.S. workforce and burnout.
Since the pandemic, nurses have also incurred sleeping challenges. A study conducted from June through August 2020 published by the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that at least 1 in 5 nurses had depressive symptoms; more than half reported feelings of anxiety and noted having insomnia.
The lack of access to personal protective equipment during the earlier stages of the pandemic, the stress of caring for patients, and the shift in workload at their jobs all took a toll on nurses' mental health.
This story originally appeared on Study.com and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
The new formula was devised in response to concerns that waning immunity, and a changing virus, had compromised the protection of people who had been fully vaccinated and once boosted against COVID-19. Even before it was rolled out, however, the omicron variant began spinning myriad subvariants, raising new concerns about how effectively bivalent boosters would continue to protect.
Since COVID-19 vaccines first became available, Israel has been closely studied because it quickly immunized most of its population with Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine. In Israel, the bivalent booster shots have been prioritized for people who are at high risk for developing severe cases of COVID-19 if infected, and for those 65 and older.
The United States, however, has taken a different approach. The CDC recommends that all Americans who are at least 6 months old get an omicron-specific shot from either Pfizer or Moderna if they are eligible.
Though the shots are available for free to virtually all in the United States, many Americans have greeted the new offerings with indifference. Only 15.4% of Americans 5 and older have gotten a bivalent booster dose, according to the latest data from the CDC.
“People are complacent,” said Dr. Oliver Brooks, chief medical officer of Watts Healthcare in Los Angeles. It’s one thing to counter vaccine hesitancy, he said, and it remains important to ensure easy access for all. But when people become confident they’ll be fine without boosters, public health officials have an uphill battle, he added.
“What we do know is, you’re better off vaccinated and boosted. Period,” Brooks said.
Interest in bivalent boosters has been greater among older adults, whose vulnerability to severe COVID-19 is clearly higher. Some 31.8% of Americans 65 and older have gotten the updated shots, but rates vary widely from state to state. In California, nearly 43% of seniors have rolled up their sleeves, and in Vermont, about 70% of seniors have done so. But in Mississippi, only 19% of senior citizens have received it. Louisiana and Alabama are close to the bottom too, with roughly 21% of seniors getting it.
Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine expert at Children Hospital of Philadelphia, said the Israeli study makes a good case that for those 65 and older, the bivalent booster helps. But he said it does little to make the case that younger people will benefit from the shots.
The fact that the average age of the Israelis studied was just over 75 raises the possibility that the boosters provide the greatest protection to the “elderly elderly,” he said.
