Large real-world studies have shown that vaccination is more effective than natural immunity

Vaccination can effectively prevent infection and the risk of severe disease and death after infection, while natural immunity induced after infection can also prevent reinfection
.
So, which is better than natural immunity in preventing infection and protecting against hospitalization, severe disease and death?

On December 14, 2022, researchers from the Regenstrif Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center published in the American Journal of Public Health titled SARS-CoV-2 Infection, Hospitalization, and Death in Vaccinated and Infected Individuals by Research paper
by Age Groups in Indiana, 2021\u20122022.

This first large, real-world study comparing COVID vaccines with natural immunity in preventing deaths, hospitalizations, and emergency department visits from any cause, including COVID, showed that people of all age groups benefited significantly more from vaccination than natural immunity from COVID infection, and that those who received the vaccine had a lower mortality rate, especially among adults over 60
.
All-cause mortality and hospitalization rates are 37%
lower among those vaccinated than those who have acquired natural immunity from COVID.
People who have been vaccinated against COVID are 24% less likely to go to the emergency room for various reasons than people who have acquired natural immunity due to COVID
.

This large-scale study suggests that vaccination should be encouraged rather than relying on natural immunity
.
This study data shows that although the rate of new crown infection after vaccination is higher than the reinfection rate after previous infection, the vaccine is better
than natural immunity in preventing severe disease.

The research team combined COVID testing and immunization data from COVID-wide with COVID patient medical records to compare the cumulative incidence of infection, all-cause emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and mortality
rates in people who received at least 1 dose of COVID vaccine with those who had previously been infected with COVID.

The study concluded that mRNA vaccine recipients had significantly lower all-cause emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and mortality compared to natural immunity from COVID-19 infection, highlighting the real-world benefits
of vaccination.
These data remind us that natural immunity
should not be relied upon when safe and effective vaccines are available.

The research team said the study has important public health implications because previous studies investigated COVID-specific emergencies, hospitalizations and mortality, but did not include non-COVID-related cases
.
This large, real-world study confirmed that mRNA vaccines keep people away from severe disease and hospitalization, and reduce the risk of all-cause mortality, a pattern
seen across all age groups.