The infectologist and epidemiologist Luana Araújo reinforced this Tuesday (6), in an interview with CNN, that Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine remains effective protection against the Delta variant, first identified in India.
According to Israeli Health authorities, research has identified that the immunizing agent loses effectiveness against the new strain. The survey pointed out that, in February, the drug was 95.8% effective in terms of preventing infections. In June, the measure dropped to 64%.
For Luana Araújo, despite the fall, the immunizing agent remains an “extremely effective” weapon against Covid-19 and, therefore, should be used.
“The data bring us another concept, that of effectiveness, which is how the vaccine behaves against variants in the real world,” Araújo explained to CNN. “Despite having a reduction in this protection against illness, it remains an extremely effective weapon against serious disease,” he added.
The infectologist highlighted that, to prevent the spread of the new strain to more regions of Brazil, non-pharmacological measures, such as the use of masks, are essential. However, she also stated that the country should invest more in “genomic surveillance”.
“We need to anticipate the problem so that we have the best tools to fight it if it does come up.”
New cases of the Delta variant were recently identified in Sao Paulo and no Rio de Janeiro.
—
