Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.Photo: Vincent Kalut / Photonews via Getty Images
A new Pfizer-funded study that surveyed 3,436,957 participants and was recorded over the course of six months has determined that the COVID-19 vaccine is 90 percent effective against severe symptoms and hospitalizations.
Researchers determined that the effectiveness against infection was reduced from 88 percent during the first month after full vaccination to 47 percent five months later. Specifically geared towards the highly contagious Delta variant — effectiveness was 93 percent during the first month after full vaccination and 53 percent five months later.
A dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.Daniel Pockett/Getty
Despite the declining effectiveness in terms of infection, 90 percent of Pfizer vaccine participants did not have severe COVID-19 symptoms and did not require hospitalization. The rate of protection against hospitalization was 93 percent for the Delta variant.
Out of the 3,436,957 participants, only 5.4 percent had breakthrough infections. Of that 5.4 percent who tested positive, 6.6 percent required hospitalization.
“Protection against infection does decline in the months following a second dose,” she continued, noting, “While this study provides evidence that immunity wanes for all age groups that received the vaccine, the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has called for additional research to determine if booster shots should be made available to all age groups eligible for this vaccine.”
Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images
Tartof added, “In line with the recent [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] and CDC recommendations, considerations for booster shots should take global COVID-19 vaccine supply into account as people in many countries around the world have not yet received a primary vaccination series.”
Pfizerearned FDA approval for its vaccineamong people ages 16 and up in August and has been greenlit to administer booster shots. The vaccine is stillunder emergency use approval for kids aged 12 to 15as the FDA continues to fully vet the shot.
Last month, the pharmaceutical company concluded after conducting its own study thatthe vaccine was safe for children ages 5 to 11.
The companyissuedits first test results from this age group, reporting that there was a “favorable safety profile and robust neutralizing antibody responses” in the kids, using a smaller dose in the two shots than older people would receive (10 µg instead of 30 µg). They said the results showed the “vaccine was safe, well-tolerated” among children.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Results from the other two age groups from the trial (children 2 to 5 years and children 6 months to 2 years) are expected later this year.
As information about thecoronavirus pandemicrapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from theCDC,WHOandlocal public health departments.PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMeto raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, clickhere.
source: people.com
