The effectiveness of the AstraZeneca vaccine can be increased
Articol de Florin Lepădatu, 16 Februarie 2021, 00:12
The COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University has a 76% effectiveness against symptomatic infections for three months after the first dose. The effectiveness can be increased if the second dose is given later, according to a study published on Tuesday, Reuters reports.
Oxford University notes that these preliminary findings, not yet evaluated by other competent bodies, support the British government's decision to extend the interval between the two doses to 12 weeks in order to increase the number of people immunized with the initial dose.
The results of the study, obtained from clinical trials in the UK, Brazil and South Africa, indicate some protection after the first dose and an increase in protection when volunteers, aged 18 to 55 years old, waited a longer period of time for the second one.
"The effectiveness of the vaccine after a single dose from day 22 to day 90 post-vaccination was 76%, and the modeled analysis does not indicate a decrease in protection during this three-month period," said Oxford experts, according to Agerpres.
Translated by: Radu Matei
