Dr Amir criticises argument for not taking coronavirus vaccine
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The UK’s vaccination effort is the envy of the world, with millions across the country now jabbed. Despite promising signs the ramped up effort is bearing fruit, it is too early to celebrate. As deputy chief medical officer Professor Van-Tam explained on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, we “don’t know” if is is working against the Brazil and South African variant.
The UK’s vaccination effort is the envy of the world, with millions across the country now jabbed. Despite promising signs the ramped up effort is bearing fruit, it is too early to celebrate. As deputy chief medical officer Professor Van-Tam explained on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, we “don’t know” if is is working against the Brazil and South African variants.
However, there is evidence that the vaccines are proving effective against the Kent strain, which accounts for 95 percent of the disease in the UK, Van-Tam added.
“We have good evidence on the vaccines we have deployed in the UK,” he said.
The “head-line results” are that the vaccines are reducing infections and asymptomatic infections in one dose only, noted Van-Tam.
That improves markedly with the second shot, he added.
How effective are the vaccines proving? What the evidence suggests so far
Initial findings suggest the UK vaccination programme is preventing serious illness.
Research led by Public Health Scotland found at four weeks after the first dose, hospital admissions were reduced by 85 percent and 94 percent for the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs respectively.
Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford University/AstraZeneca are the two vaccines currently deployed in the UK.
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Among the over 80s, there was an overall 81 percent reduction in the numbers admitted to hospital.
The study did have some limitations – the researchers did not examine the impact on transmission or how long immunity lasted.
The preliminary data from the EAVE II project covers 1.14 million vaccinations given in Scotland between 8 December and 15 February.
The study looked at the numbers being admitted to hospital with Covid among this population and compared it to those admitted who were not vaccinated.
In total, there were just over 8,000 people who ended up in hospital, but only 58 were among the vaccinated group after the four-week mark.
Commenting on the findings, lead researcher Prof Aziz Sheikh said they were “very, very” impressive and both vaccines were working “spectacularly”.
“These results are very encouraging and have given us great reasons to be optimistic for the future.”
When will I receive the vaccine?
The NHS is currently offering the COVID-19 vaccine to people most at risk from coronavirus.
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