Vaccinated and Boosted People Have Less Protection Against BA.5 Than BA.2 Variant: Study

A child receives a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in Lisbon, Portugal, on Dec. 18, 2021. Patricia de Melo Moreira/AFP via Getty Images

People who have received a COVID-19 vaccine and a booster shot were more likely to end up in a hospital when infected with BA.5 than BA.2, according to a new study.

Researchers in Portugal found that BA.5 cases among the group had 3.4 times higher odds of hospitalization when compared to BA.2 cases.