TOS Urges COVID-19 Vaccination for Obese Individuals, Highlighting Varying Efficacies
The Obesity Society (TOS) has issued guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination, emphasizing the importance for individuals with obesity. Recent studies show varying efficacies of vaccines in this group, with Pfizer leading at 95.4%. TOS recommends accepting any available vaccine, as all trials showed high efficacy.
TOS highlights obesity (BMI >30 kg/m2) and severe obesity (BMI ≥40 kg/m2) as significant risks for severe COVID-19 disease and death. It advises vaccination for prevention, endorsing FDA-approved trials and CDC recommendations. AstraZeneca's interim sub-group analysis showed 73.4% efficacy in participants with comorbidities, including obesity.
Pfizer's vaccine demonstrated impressive efficacy in those with obesity, at 95.4%, compared to 94.8% in non-obese participants. Johnson & Johnson's vaccine showed 66.8% and 65.9% efficacy 14 and 28 days after the first dose, respectively, in the obese group. Moderna's vaccine had 95.8% efficacy in those with obesity and 91.2% in those with severe obesity.
TOS encourages the publication of long-term vaccine efficacy outcomes stratified by obesity status in peer-reviewed journals. It also recommends including obesity in COVID-19 care plans. Specific data on the Omicron variant vaccine LP.8.1's efficacy and safety in individuals with a BMI of 30 kg/m² or more is awaited.
In conclusion, TOS stresses the importance of COVID-19 vaccination for individuals with obesity due to increased risk of severe disease and death. All approved vaccines show high efficacy in preventing severe COVID-19 in people with and without obesity, except for AstraZeneca where data is not yet published. TOS endorses accepting any available vaccine and encourages further research on long-term vaccine efficacy in obese individuals.
