A single dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech and the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines cut the risk of severe covid symptoms, and prevent hospitalisation by 80% according to data analysed in the UK, reports BBC.
The study submitted by Public Health England (PHE) was based on the data of people over the age of 80 who were some of the first to receive the vaccine in the UK.
The PHE study—which has been submitted for peer review— also says that there is evidence to suggest that the Pfizer vaccine leads to an 83% reduction in deaths from COVID-19.
The study emphasises that the vaccines usually took about 3 to 4 weeks to kick in and start being effective.
British health minister Matt Hancock at a news conference called the results “seriously encouraging,” and that this was “a sign that the vaccine is working.”
“These results may also help to explain why the number of COVID admissions to intensive care units among people over 80 in the UK have dropped to single figures in the last couple of weeks.”Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, UK
Although these numbers are encouraging, England's deputy chief medical officer - Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, went on to say that it is absolutely critical’ one takes the second dose and completes the vaccine course.
“There is a significant likelihood that a second dose of a vaccine would mature your immune response, possibly make it broader and almost certainly make it longer than it would otherwise be in relation to a first dose only,” he added.
Cautioning about letting your guard down post-vaccine, Dr Mary Ramsay, PHE Head of Immunisation, said, “It is important to remember that protection is not complete and we don’t yet know how much these vaccines will reduce the risk of you passing COVID-19 onto others.”
“Even if you have been vaccinated, it is it is really important that you continue to act like you have the virus, practice good hand hygiene and stay at home.”Dr Mary Ramsay, PHE Head of Immunisation
This data bolsters previous studies that point to strong link between the first leg of the vaccine rollout and the decline in covid related hospital admissions.
Both Pfizer-BioNTech and the Oxford-AstraZeneca are two of three vaccines, including Moderna to be approved for use across the UK.