COVID-19 vaccines `highly effective` against hospitalisation from Delta variant, claims study

The study included 14,019 cases of the Delta variant - 166 of whom were hospitalised.

New Delhi: A new study has claimed that the COVID-19 vaccines are 'highly effective' against hospitalisation from the highly transmissible Delta variant of concern, which was first identified in India.

The analysis published by the Public Health England (PHE) on Monday (June 14, 2021) said that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is 96% effective against hospitalisation after 2 doses, while the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is 92% effective against hospitalisation after two shots. 

"These are comparable with vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation from the Alpha variant," the study said.

The analysis included 14,019 cases of the Delta variant – 166 of whom were hospitalised – between April 12 and June 4, looking at emergency hospital admissions in England.

"This evidence of the effectiveness of two doses against variants shows just how crucial it is to get your second jab," said Secretary of State for Health of the United Kingdom, Matt Hancock.

The study also said that further work remains underway to establish the level of protection against mortality from the Delta variant. 

"However, as with other variants, this is expected to be high," it said.

An earlier PHE analysis had showed that the COVID-19 vaccination programme has so far prevented 14,000 deaths and around 42,000 hospitalisations in older people in England, up to May 30.