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Background: During Late 2022, the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.5 sublineages accounted for most of the sequenced viral genomes worldwide. Bivalent mRNA vaccines contain an ancestral SARS-CoV-2 strain component plus an updated component of the Omicron BA.4/BA.5. Since September 2022, a single bivalent booster dose has been recommended for adults who have completed a primary vaccination series and are at high risk for severe Covid-19 disease. Evidence regarding the effectiveness of the bivalent vaccine in reducing hospitalizations and death due to Covid-19 is warranted.Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all members of Clalit Health Services, aged ≥65, eligible for a bivalent booster....

JERUSALEM, Jan 9 (Reuters) - The Omicron-adapted COVID-19 vaccine booster developed by Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and BioNTech SE (22UAy.DE) sharply reduced hospitalizations among older patients, Israeli researchers said on Monday, in some of the first evidence of the jab's real-world effectiveness. It found an 81% reduction in hospitalizations among people aged 65 and older who had received the booster against those who had previously received at least two COVID vaccinations, but not the Omicron-adapted shot. The study was carried out from the end of September until mid-December and looked at 622,701 people aged 65 and over who were eligible for...