The study finds that the AstraZeneca vaccine significantly reduces the transmission of COVID-19

Zoom in the picture

Pharmacist Bhavin Patel delivers a dose of the Oxford / AstraZeneca covid vaccine to Joshua Labour at the Coronavirus Vaccination Clinic held at Junction Pharmacy in Brixton, London, Thursday, January 28, 2021.
AP

Britain’s head of health says a new study showing that a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca provides a high level of protection for 12 weeks supports the government’s strategy to delay the second shot so that more doses can be delivered to more. People.

The comments by Health Secretary Matt Hancock came after Oxford released a study that showed the vaccine reduced transmission of the virus by two-thirds and prevents serious illnesses. The study has not yet been reviewed, but UK officials have welcomed it with excitement under pressure to justify their decision to delay the second dose.

“This reduction in transmission, plus no hospitalization, a combination of this is very good news.” Hancock told Sky News on Wednesday that he categorically supports the strategy we took on having a 12-week gap between doses.

One of the lead researchers on the project, Dr Andrew Pollard of the University of Oxford, said that Oxford scientists believe the vaccine will continue to provide protection against new variants of COVID-19, although they are still awaiting data on this.

Even if the virus adapts, “ This does not mean that we will not be protected from severe disease. ”

He said: “If we need to update vaccines, it’s actually a relatively straightforward process that only takes a few months, rather than the tremendous efforts everyone made in the past year to run very large-scale trials.” BBC.