COVID-19: Two doses of Pfizer, AstraZeneca vaccine effective against Delta variant

NEW DELHI: A study published on Wednesday concluded that two jabs of the Pfizer or AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine are just as much effective against the now dominant Delta coronavirus variant as they are against the previously dominant Alpha variant. The study emphasized that the vaccine is only effective if both the shots of the vaccine are taken. 

According to the study, Pfizer’s shot was 88 per cent effective at preventing the symptomatic diseases associated with the Delta variant. On the other hand, AstraZeneca is 67 per cent effective against the Delta variant, which majorly caused the second wave in India. 

Drawing a comparison between the vaccine effectiveness with the Delta variant and the Alpha variant, Public Health England (PHE) researchers wrote that only a slight difference was noted. 

Previously, PHE had announced that the first dose of either vaccine was only 33 per cent effective against the symptomatic Delta cases. The author of the study said that the reduced effectiveness of the initial dose would help in maximizing the circulation of the two doses, especially among the vulnerable groups.