Economic Benefits of Widespread COVID-19 Vaccination, Particularly for Older Adults, Highlighted by New Study

As the United States prepares to roll out an updated COVID-19 vaccine, recent research emphasizes the significant economic advantages of maintaining broad vaccination coverage among adults. A comprehensive study utilizing computer modeling demonstrates that vaccinating seniors aged 65 and older can save the country more money than the costs of vaccination, primarily by preventing hospitalizations, deaths, and long-term health complications related to COVID-19. The model focused on individuals without immunocompromising conditions and showed that a single dose of the updated mRNA vaccine could avert considerable illness and fatalities in this age group.

For adults aged 50 to 64, the study also supports the cost-effectiveness of widespread vaccination, indicating that the health and economic benefits outweigh the expenses involved. Even among healthy young adults aged 18 to 49, vaccination can be a worthwhile investment under specific conditions.

Published in JAMA Network Open, the research was led by University of Michigan experts who have extensively studied vaccine cost-effectiveness, often in collaboration with the CDC. The findings reveal that vaccinating older adults can prevent approximately 391 hospitalizations and 43 deaths per 100,000 individuals vaccinated, with the potential to prevent around 7,600 to 8,900 COVID cases per 100,000 vaccinated across all adult age groups.

The researchers highlight that better vaccination rates could lead to substantial economic savings by reducing healthcare costs and productivity losses. As of early 2025, vaccination uptake remains low among seniors, with only 28% of those over 65 having received the updated vaccine through Medicare, and roughly 23% of all adults having been vaccinated.

Previous studies by the same team demonstrated that the initial COVID-19 vaccination efforts were highly cost-saving, even after accounting for testing and logistics costs. Their models incorporate various factors, including the costs of medical care, testing, work absences, and long COVID, suggesting that the true savings could be even greater.

Current COVID-19 trends report a decline in deaths attributed to the virus compared to earlier years, but the disease continues to cause significant mortality and hospitalizations. The study underscores the importance of promoting complete vaccination, especially among vulnerable populations, to maximize health and economic benefits.

The CDC recommends at least one dose of the current vaccine for everyone over 6 months old, with a second dose advised for seniors and immunocompromised individuals. The authors emphasize that ongoing vaccine efforts are crucial in reducing the burden of COVID-19 and achieving cost-effective health outcomes.

For further details, see the full study: Lisa A. Prosser et al., "Cost-Effectiveness of 2023-2024 COVID-19 Vaccination in US Adults," JAMA Network Open (2025). source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-broad-covid-vaccination-economic-older.html