A new study on the effectiveness of the anti-Covid vaccine developed by AstraZeneca has just revealed that in addition to protecting people vaccinated against infection, the vaccine could also reduce the transmission of the virus. Let’s do a check in.
AstraZeneca vaccine could reduce virus transmission by 67%
We already know that the vaccine against Covid-19 developed by AstraZeneca shows an effectiveness rate of 76% after the first dose and 82% after the second dose. New data provided by researchers at Oxford and AstraZeneca have just revealed that the vaccine could, in addition to protecting those vaccinated, reduce transmission by nearly two-thirds. Indeed, the analysis of clinical trials currently under review allowed scientists to show that the vaccine could reduce the transmission of the virus by 67% from the first dose.
Hope to lift health restrictions
The results of this new study support the strategy of the British government, which has already administered a first dose of vaccine to nearly 10 million people and which had decided to lengthen the interval between injections in order to vaccinate a maximum of people. According to Matt Hancock, the UK Health Secretary, “ This categorically supports the strategy we are undertaking. […] It shows the world that the Oxford vaccine is working well “. To which he added in an interview with the BBC: ” We now know that the Oxford vaccine is also reducing transmission and this will help us all come out of this pandemic “.
As for Dr Gillies O’Bryan-Tear, former president of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine, she commented on the new data, explaining that “ if these vaccines reduce transmission to the extent indicated, it will mean that the relaxation of social restrictions will be possible sooner than if we had to wait for herd immunity “.
Further analysis to confirm the results
However, a more in-depth analysis of the data is necessary to confirm the results. Especially since the project manager, Andrew Pollard, clarified that these tests had been carried out before the appearance of the variants and that ” this virus is trying at all costs to find ways to continue to spread “. According to Dr Doug Brown, Managing Director British Society for Immunology, “ although this would be extremely welcome news, we need more data before this can be confirmed and therefore it is important that we all continue to follow social distancing advice after being vaccinated “.
