Sars-Cov-2 Symptoms During the Omicron Surge Differ Between Boosted and Vaccinated Non-Boosted Persons

Authors

Marisa A. Montecalvo, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA.
Paul Visintainer, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School-Baystate, Springfield, MA 01119, USA.
Elizabeth Drugge, Department of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA.
Katherine Kowalski, Department of Health Services, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA.
Rosemarie Raffa, Department of Health Services, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA.
Donna McKenna, Department of Health Services, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA.Follow
Christine Moronta, Department of Health Services, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA.
Gary P. Wormser, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA.

Author Type(s)

Faculty

DOI

10.3390/vaccines12030327

Journal Title

Vaccines

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-19-2024

Department

Medicine

Second Department

Pharmacology

Abstract

To determine the impact of booster COVID-19 vaccination on SARS-CoV-2 symptoms. : The Omicron surge of infections provided an opportunity to evaluate symptoms in relation to booster receipt. At a US medical college, the number, type, and duration of symptoms were evaluated for 476 students or employees, factoring in days between last vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis. Compared with vaccinated non-boosted individuals, boosted individuals reported a significantly higher frequency of nasal congestion (57.9% vs. 44.4%, = 0.018) and nasal congestion and/or sore throat (77.2% vs. 62.0%, = 0.003); in contrast, the frequency of body/muscle aches was significantly less among boosted individuals (22.1% vs. 32.4%, = 0.038). With each one week increase in time since booster receipt, the probability of fever increased significantly by 4.4% (OR 1.044, 95% CI 1.01, 1.07, = 0.001), and the probability of cough increased significantly by 4.8% (OR 1.048, 95% CI 1.01, 10.8, = 0.010). Within a medical college population, during the first 7 months of the Omicron surge of infections, compared with vaccinated non-boosted individuals, boosted individuals significantly more often reported the following: nasal congestion as well as nasal congestion and/or sore throat. In contrast, body/muscle aches were reported significantly less often. The rates of fever and cough each significantly increased as time since booster dose receipt increased. These data suggest that having had a booster vaccination, as well the timing of receiving it, impacts the clinical manifestations of breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections. Additional studies are needed to precisely define SARS-CoV-2 symptoms in relation to booster vaccinations.

Recommended Citation

Montecalvo, M. A., Visintainer, P., Drugge, E., Kowalski, K., Raffa, R., McKenna, D., Moronta, C., & Wormser, G. P. (2024). Sars-Cov-2 Symptoms During the Omicron Surge Differ Between Boosted and Vaccinated Non-Boosted Persons. Vaccines, 12 (3). https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12030327