Pfizer vaccine ‘95% effective against coronavirus,’ new data shows

Two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine can provide more than 95% protection against infection, severe illness and death from Covid, according to a groundbreaking study in Israel.

The middle eastern country currently leads the world in its inoculation programme, with more than half (56 per cent) of its population having already received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

The research, published today in The Lancet journal, also concluded that a single dose of the jab provides 58 per cent protection against infection, 76% against hospital admission, and 77% against death.

The researchers said their study highlights the importance of fully vaccinating adults against the virus but acknowledged challenges remain to get the pandemic under control – including uncertainty around how long immunity lasts, from both vaccines and natural infection, and the emergence of variants that may be resistant to jabs currently on the market.

Read full story

Source: The Independent, 6 May 2021