Pfizer and Modana COVID-19 vaccine is 90% effective in the real world

The survey included 3,950 healthcare workers, first responders, and other essential frontline workers in eight locations in the United States. They received one of these vaccines between December 14, 2020 and March 13, 2021.

None of the participants tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

Participants collected weekly nasal swabs and sent them to the Central Laboratory for RT-PCR coronavirus testing.

They did this regardless of whether they showed symptoms of COVID-19. This also allowed researchers to identify people with asymptomatic or presymptomatic infections.

About 10% of people with infections were asymptomatic.

People also collected additional nasal swabs and saliva samples at the onset of symptoms that could be caused by COVID-19, such as fever, chills, cough, and shortness of breath.

During the study period, nearly two-thirds received both doses and about 12% received a single dose. Both mRNA vaccines are given on a two-dose schedule.

Among unvaccinated people, 161 infections occurred during the study period. Fully vaccinated people had 3 infections and partially vaccinated people had 8 infections.

Complete immunization begins 14 days after the second dose of the vaccine. By then, most people have produced a strong immune response to the virus.

Partial vaccination is given at least 14 days after the first dose and before the second dose.

Researchers ruled out infections that occurred within 14 days of receiving a person because it was unclear what level of protection the vaccine would provide during this period.

Based on this data, researchers estimated that the actual effectiveness of the vaccine was very high and showed that the vaccine works regardless of whether someone has symptoms.

“It’s pretty encouraging [these vaccines] It significantly reduces symptomatic disease, but it also creates large dents in asymptomatic cases, “says Conway.

“Asymptomatic cases are where we are most concerned,” he added. [virus particles] Don’t notice. “

Even when researchers considered factors such as participants’ gender, age, ethnicity, and occupation, their effectiveness did not change much.

However, they warn that the number of infections that have occurred during the study period is limited and that the efficacy level should be carefully monitored.

Researchers will continue to collect data on these study participants so that they can more accurately estimate the effectiveness of the vaccine.

They also plan to sequence samples in the future to determine if people have an infection with one of the new ones. Coronavirus mutant..

Some variants are suspected of evading the protection provided by the COVID-19 vaccine.

During the study, the variants of concern were already prevalent in the United States, and the vaccine still provided strong protection.

However, regular gene sequencing of participants’ samples allows researchers to see if certain mutants reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine.

New studies are increasing the number of studies on the actual efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine.

“A good study showing that all infections (including asymptomatic) in Pfizer and Moderna vaccinated people were reduced by about 90%. [sic] “Across multiple sites in the United States,” said Shane Crotty, a vaccine scientist at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology. I have written On Twitter.

“It’s very consistent with previous studies from the UK and Israel, and it’s also consistent with the fact that these vaccines are good at stopping infections,” he writes.

None of the approved COVID-19 vaccines are completely effective against infection.

Therefore, the results of such actual studies may vary depending on factors that increase or decrease the risk of infection in a person, such as the behavior of the person after vaccination.

According to Conway, many people in this new study were health care workers and other front-line workers, so they may have continued to wear masks and physical distances after being vaccinated. ..

Even by itself, non-medical interventions like these can reduce the risk of infection. Combining them with vaccination will further protect people.

“When you think about protecting yourself from the coronavirus and ending the pandemic, that’s not one or both situations,” Conway said. “By doing both, you can get the most out of it.”

But, “Once we have vaccinated enough people and reached herd immunity, it’s time to get away from some of the mitigation efforts we’ve all done.”