A single dose of the Pfizer-Bioentech or Ox Xford-AstraZeneca vaccine reduces the risk of hospitalization with Covid-19 by more than 80% in people over the age of 80, new data from Public Health England (PHE) show.
The effect was seen three to four weeks after vaccination.
People over the age of 70 were also shown to have 61% protection against the pathogen from the Pfizer-Bioentech vaccine and up to 73% protection from the Oxford-Astra-Zeneca vaccine.
“This adds to the growing evidence that this vaccine is working to reduce infection and save lives.”
During a press conference on Monday, British Health Secretary Matt Hancock applauded real-world data, saying the UK’s daily death toll was falling “much faster” than the first peaks, and that it was falling “faster than in the ’80s.” When compared to the first. ”
The UK has given Covid-19 shots to more than 20 million people, for the first time targeting more than 80 people most vulnerable to the disease.
New data support the country’s decision to use both the Pfizer-Bioentech and Ox-Xford-AstraZeneca vaccines at a time when other European countries have expressed concern about the use of rastrazeneca shots in the elderly.
“These findings are particularly welcome news because of the age range of participants who were 70 and older,” said Deborah Dun-Wetters, president of the British Society for Immunology CIVID-19 and immunology taskforce and professor of immunology. Suri University.
“Previous clinical trials for both vaccines did not involve many individuals in this age range. This is important because as we get older, our immune systems did not work even when we were younger, which means older people Sometimes produces less. “Immune reactions against vaccination,” she said.
“The fact that vaccination is effective in significantly reducing the number of pathological cases, hospitalizations and deaths from Covid-19 in this older age group is indeed positive news,” Dun-Verters added.
“Although more research is needed, this study is even more convincing around the UK’s decision to give two doses of the vaccine at 12 weeks apart.”
But Ramsay emphasized the need for people to be aware of steps such as social distance and hand washing.
“It’s important to remember that safety is not complete and we don’t yet know how much these vaccines will reduce your risk of passing on Covid-19 II.”
Data released by a study of health workers by PHE last week found that a single dose of the vaccine prevents people from catching asymptomatic covid-19 by at least 70%, suggesting that the vaccine may help reduce the spread of infection, but more data is needed .
The UK is increasing the rate of second dose administration, now just over 800,000 are inoculated with both shots.
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