Vaccinated people are much less at risk of COVID-19 infection even before they get their second dose, according to a new US study, which supports Israeli research into one of the hottest international vaccine issues.
The figures from the Mayo Clinic showed the same efficacy rate as those released by the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv, further showing that the vaccine’s ability to protect against infection increases over time, even after just the first dose.
The Minnesota-based clinic found in a study of 31,000 people in four U.S. states who received at least one injection of vaccine, that the inoculations were 75 percent effective 15 days after the first injection, and about 83% 36 days after the first injection. were effective.
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The figure, representing both symptomatic and asymptomatic disease, increased to 89% (36 days after the first dose) for people who received both doses.
A vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against COVID-19, collected at the Versalles clinic in Cali, Colombia, amid the new coronavirus pandemic on Feb. 19, 2021. (Luis ROBAYO / AFP)
The study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, included people who had received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine.
The Mayo Clinic study supported Israeli research released last week showing that Pfizer’s vaccine is 75% effective at preventing infection two to four weeks after a single injection.
The Israeli study focused on statistics for symptomatic carriers, that is, those who were unwell, and found that a single dose was 85% effective two to four weeks later.
In some countries racing to vaccinate large populations, doctors argue about whether to delay second shots so they can give more people partial protection with one shot. The UK has controversially adopted this approach, despite some concerns in the medical world.
Sheba Medical employees will receive the second round of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Sheba Medical Center outside Tel Aviv, January 10, 2021. (Miriam Alster / Flash90)
Vaccines have been shown to be very effective in reducing symptomatic COVID-19 and mortality, but there is still a lack of data as to whether they prevent transmission and can prevent the virus from circulating in a population.
The question is crucial because most of the population in the US and worldwide remains unvaccinated and other groups, mostly children, are not eligible for the admissions.
While there is strong data from Phase 3 studies of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and since it shows that vaccinated people are much less likely to become verified COVID-19 carriers, clinical studies did not provide robust results as to whether those those who are vaccinated will still spread the virus.
