A study conducted by health authorities in Britain and published on Saturday revealed that the Pfizer/BioNTech and AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccines are effective against the Indian variant of the virus with similar efficacy rates to that against the English variant.
According to the study conducted by Public Health England between April 5 and May 16, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine provided 88% effectiveness against symptomatic cases of the Indian variant two weeks after the second dose, and 93% against the symptomatic English variant. In contrast, the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine achieved 60% effectiveness against symptomatic cases of the Indian variant and 66% against the English variant, also two weeks post-second dose.
The study also indicated that both vaccines provided 33% effectiveness against symptomatic cases of the Indian variant and 50% against the English variant three weeks after the first dose.
Meri Ramsay, the vaccination lead at Public Health England, stated that "two doses of either of these vaccines provide high levels of protection against symptomatic illness associated with the B.1.617.2 variant." She added, "We expect the vaccines to be even more effective in preventing hospitalizations and deaths."
**Official Welcome of Results**
British Health Minister Matt Hancock welcomed the study's findings, especially as the government relies on the national vaccination campaign to combat the Indian variant, which threatens to disrupt the country's economic reopening plans.
To mitigate the spread of this variant, identified as "B.1.617.2," health authorities have reduced the interval between AstraZeneca vaccine doses from three months to eight weeks for individuals over 50 years old and those classified as most vulnerable health-wise.
These measures have been coupled with intensified testing aimed at detecting infections in the most at-risk areas, particularly in the northwest of England and parts of London.
**Indian Variant in Britain**
According to data from Public Health England, there were at least 2,889 reported cases of the Indian variant in England between February 1 and May 18. Of these, 104 individuals required emergency care, while 31 were hospitalized and six died.
Britain has the highest number of COVID-19-related deaths in Europe, with the pandemic claiming the lives of over 127,000 people to date. In the UK, over 70% of adults have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while more than 40% have received both doses.
