Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 with at least one single dose gave 60% protection against “post-discharge one-year mortality” among patients who were hospitalized due to the virus (1).

The findings, which were part of a study done by the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Clinical Registry for COVID-19, revealed that the following categories of people were at a higher risk of mortality within a year of discharge:

• Males
• Individuals over the age of 40
• People who already had comorbidities
• People who have a severe or mild infection of COVID-19

However, the vaccine protected these particularly vulnerable individuals too, according to the study.

ICMR Monitors Long-term Health of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients

The National Clinical Registry, which the ICMR has been monitoring for COVID-19 across 31 centers, kept in touch with patients who had been hospitalized owing to the virus and recorded regular health status updates for up to one year after release. The study considered data collected up until February 2023.

India’s Pioneer Study on Post-Hospitalization COVID-19 Mortality

It is the first study in India to look at post-hospitalization mortality in COVID-19 patients. With only a few studies on the vaccine’s efficacy to date, the ICMR study adds to the body of knowledge. Earlier this year, renowned virologist Gagandeep Kang said that with COVID-19 variations still emerging regularly, more data was needed.