Three Million Lives Saved: COVID‑19 Vaccines Deliver Global Victory

Global Impact of COVID‑19 Vaccines, 2020‑2024

Recent research confirms that vaccination has been a decisive factor in reducing mortality and limiting the spread of the pandemic worldwide.

Core Life‑Saving Findings

• 2.5 million lives saved globally.
• One death prevented for every 5,400 doses administered.
• 14.8 million years of life preserved.

Early Protection and the Omicron Period

• 82 % of the lives saved involved people vaccinated before their first exposure to the virus.
• 57 % of the benefits occurred during the Omicron wave.
• 90 % of the saved lives belonged to individuals aged 60 years and older.

Years of Life Gained

• One year of life was saved for every 900 vaccine doses.
• 76 % of the years saved were attributable to people over 60 years.
• Long‑term care residents contributed only 2 % of the total.
• Children and adolescents saved 0.01 % of lives (0.1 % of years). Young adults 20‑29 years saved 0.07 % of lives (0.3 % of years).

Research Methodology

The study was conducted at Stanford University under the “European network staff eXchange for integrating precision health in the health Care systems – ExACT” project, funded by the European Research Excellence Programme RISE. It relied on worldwide population data and compared actual mortality with a model of what would have happened without vaccination.

Implications and Conclusions

These data illustrate a profound overall benefit from COVID‑19 vaccination from 2020 to 2024. The greatest advantages were secured for a segment of the global population that is typically more vulnerable – the elderly.

The findings will appear in the journal JAMA Health Forum under the title “Global Estimates of Lives and Life‑Years Saved by COVID‑19 Vaccination During 2020‑2024.”