LONDON – New evidence from the UK has shown that vaccinations against Covid-19 have abruptly reduced serious illness and death among the elderly after a single dose, supporting the optimism that successful vaccination programs offer a return to economic growth this year, after a year of widespread blockages.
Real-world data from the country that vaccinates a larger proportion of its population than any major Western economy also supports the British government’s strategy to expand limited vaccine reserves by postponing a second vaccine stroke by up to 12 weeks after first to protect more people from disease.
British researchers said in preliminary findings published online on Monday that a single dose of Covid-19 vaccine developed by either Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE, either by Oxford University and AstraZeneca PLC reduced the risk of hospitalization in people over the age of 70 by 80% compared to those of a similar age who were not vaccinated.
The study adds to evidence from around the world that vaccines are generally as effective in the real world as they have been shown in clinical trials, giving hope that mass launches can reduce the need for restrictive public health measures and pave the way for economy reopening.
“We hope it will take us to a very different world in the next few months,” Deputy Medical Director Jonathan Van-Tam of England said on Monday, referring to vaccination.