Despite many Americans avoiding seasonal COVID-19 vaccinations, recent data from the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shows that updated shots continue to offer significant protection against cardiovascular disease. The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, analysed over a million patients in the VA’s St Louis Health Care System and found that the 2024–2025 vaccines significantly lowered the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including heart attacks and strokes, especially among older adults.

Of the 1,039,659 patients included in the study, 349,085 received both a flu shot and a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time. The researchers found that these vaccines reduced the rate of MACE events from around 5 per 10,000 to 3 per 10,000 over eight months of follow-up. The benefits were most pronounced in those aged 75 and older and those with underlying health conditions.

The finding is particularly reassuring as the virus continues to evolve, and vaccine updates are necessary. It shows that despite changes in public immunity from previous infections and vaccinations, the vaccines still offer substantial protection against heart-related complications of COVID-19.

However, while these results are positive, the study notes the benefits are modest in absolute terms. Further research is needed to understand how long this protection lasts and whether booster shots will be necessary as time progresses.