(CNN) — A new study by the Public Health Institute of England (PHE) found that two doses of the coronavirus vaccine are “highly effective against hospitalization” for the delta variant (B.1,61.2) , originally identified in India.
According to the PHE, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has been found to be 96% effective against hospitalization after two doses, while two doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine have been shown to be 92% effective against hospitalization.
“These are comparable to the effectiveness of the Alpha variant inpatient vaccine,” the PHE said in a statement Monday, adding that further research is being conducted to establish the level of protection that vaccines offer against mortality from the disease. delta variant.
“As with other variants, it is expected to be high,” said the PHE.
The study that tested vaccines against the delta variant
The study carried out by the PHE included 14,019 cases of the delta variant, of which 166 were hospitalized, between April 12 and June 4, and focused on emergency hospital admissions in England.
PHE chief of immunization, Dr. Mary Ramsay, described the findings as “enormously important” in confirming that the vaccines offer “significant protection” against hospitalization for the Delta variant.
UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock added that the country’s vaccination program continues “on track” and has already saved thousands of lives.
“This evidence of the effectiveness of two doses against variants shows how crucial it is to get your second dose. If you have received your first dose but have not yet booked the second, do so. It will help save lives and propel us on the road to recovery, ”Hancock said.
According to another PHE study, the coronavirus vaccination program has so far prevented 14,000 deaths and around 42,000 hospitalizations of older people in England, as of May 30.
As of Sunday June 13, more than 41.6 million people in the UK had received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, while nearly 30 million people already had both doses, according to PHE data.
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