As we offer our first weekly COVID-19 Data Dashboard update, showing a continuing decline in cases and other metrics, I want to call attention to some critically important information in two reports linked atop the dashboard.

Booster doses dramatically increase protection against COVID-19, including the omicron variant.

Our twice-monthly report on COVID-19 outcomes by vaccination status, which includes data from January when omicron was firmly established as the dominant variant, now looks at the impact of booster doses on COVID-19 infection, hospitalization and death.

During January, compared with individuals who were fully vaccinated with a booster, unvaccinated people ages 18 and older had:

• 11 times the risk of testing positive for COVID-19;
• 67 times the risk of being hospitalized from COVID-19;
• 180 times the risk of dying from COVID-19.

Comparing unvaccinated individuals with those who were fully vaccinated without a booster also demonstrates the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination.

During January, the former had:

• 1.3 times the risk of testing positive for COVID-19;
• 4.1 times the risk of hospitalization from COVID-19; and
• 7.2 times the risk of dying from COVID-19.

We’ve also added January data to our twice-monthly COVID-19 variant sequencing report, showing that the omicron variant started the month with a 96% share and ended with a 98% share.

Vaccines continue to offer strong protection against severe COVID-19 outcomes, but these reports make the strongest possible argument for safe, free, and highly effective booster doses.

Research shows that COVID-19 vaccine protection wanes over time, especially in people 65 years and older, and that boosters do a great job of increasing your immune response to protect against COVID-19.

Boosters are recommended for everyone ages 12 and older at least five months after your primary vaccination series with Moderna or Pfizer and at least two months after the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen shot. Boosters are especially important for older individuals and others with weakened immune systems, but everyone stands to benefit.

If you aren’t already boosted, please find a convenient provider at azhealth.gov/FindVaccine and update your protection as soon as possible.

Editor’s note: Don Herrington is interim director of the Arizona Department of Health Services. Learn more at azdhs.gov.