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UK Study Finds AstraZeneca, Pfizer Vaccines 'Highly Effective' In Elderly
Reporter Rosyn Park ㅣ 2021-03-02 13:56
Britain's Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England Jonathan Van-Tam speaks about the COVID-19 pandemic during a virtual press conference in central London on March 1, 2021. (Photo: AFP-Yonhap News)
Data from Public Health England indicate the Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccines have been "highly effective" in reducing coronavirus infections and severe illness among elderly people.
In the over 80s, a single dose of either vaccine was found to be more than 80 percent effective at preventing hospitalization around three to four weeks after the jab, according to the real-world study released Monday.
Both vaccines were also "highly effective in reducing COVID-19 infections among people aged 70 years and over.
The findings come as Germany and other European countries consider reversing their refusal to authorize the AstraZeneca vaccine for people over 65 amid concerns about its efficacy.
British Health Secretary Matt Hancock hailed the data as "extremely good news," adding that protection from catching COVID 35 days after receiving the first dose is even slightly better for AstraZeneca than for Pfizer.
Officials said the data adds to growing evidence that Britain's inoculation scheme and the vaccines are working to reduce infections and save lives.
The first dose of one of the two vaccines have been given to more than 20 million people in the U.K. as part of a mass rollout that is seen as vital in taming one of the world's worst outbreaks, which has so far claimed almost 123,000 lives.
Jonathan Van-Tam, deputy chief medical officer for England, said a second does would still be necessary, but said the latest results highlighted the importance of everyone getting
vaccinated.
"It shows us, gives us those first glimpses, of how if we are patient, and we give this vaccine program time to have its full effect, it is going to hopefully take us into a very different world in the next few months."
In the over 80s, a single dose of either vaccine was found to be more than 80 percent effective at preventing hospitalization around three to four weeks after the jab, according to the real-world study released Monday.
Both vaccines were also "highly effective in reducing COVID-19 infections among people aged 70 years and over.
The findings come as Germany and other European countries consider reversing their refusal to authorize the AstraZeneca vaccine for people over 65 amid concerns about its efficacy.
British Health Secretary Matt Hancock hailed the data as "extremely good news," adding that protection from catching COVID 35 days after receiving the first dose is even slightly better for AstraZeneca than for Pfizer.
Officials said the data adds to growing evidence that Britain's inoculation scheme and the vaccines are working to reduce infections and save lives.
The first dose of one of the two vaccines have been given to more than 20 million people in the U.K. as part of a mass rollout that is seen as vital in taming one of the world's worst outbreaks, which has so far claimed almost 123,000 lives.
Jonathan Van-Tam, deputy chief medical officer for England, said a second does would still be necessary, but said the latest results highlighted the importance of everyone getting
vaccinated.
"It shows us, gives us those first glimpses, of how if we are patient, and we give this vaccine program time to have its full effect, it is going to hopefully take us into a very different world in the next few months."
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