People with immune-compromising conditions account for approximately 3% of the population. To determine the relative efficacy of vaccines to prevent hospitalizations in immune-compromised versus immune-competent people, researchers from several academic centers compared 20,000 immune-compromised adults with 69,000 immune-competent adults, all of whom had received at least two doses of mRNA-containing vaccine at least 14 days earlier (Embi PJ, Levy ME, Naleway AL, et. Al. Effectiveness of 2-Dose Vaccination with mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines Against COVID-19-Associated Hospitalizations Among Immunocompromised Adults — Nine States, January-September 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2021 Nov 5;70(44):1553-1559).

Vaccine efficacy of two doses of mRNA-containing vaccines for prevention of hospitalization was 77% among immune-compromised adults and 90% among immune-competent adults. Vaccine efficacy varied among immune-compromised adults based on their immune-compromising condition, ranging from 59% efficacy for recipients of solid organ or bone marrow transplants to 81% efficacy for those with rheumatologic or other inflammatory disorders.

Currently, those who are immune compromised are recommended to receive three doses of mRNA-containing vaccine.

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Materials in this section are updated as new information and vaccines become available. The Vaccine Education Center staff regularly reviews materials for accuracy.

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