UK Study Finds Vaccines to be Highly Effective Against India Variant of Coronavirus

Westminster London Underground Station

Health officials in the United Kingdom said Monday that that current vaccines are highly effective against the India, or Delta, variant of the coronavirus.

The new analysis, prepared by Public Health England, held that two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine were 96% effective against hospitalization from the Delta variant, and that two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were 92% effective.

The study did not include the Moderna vaccine, which is not offered in the United Kingdom, but researchers said that, because it largely uses the same technology, messenger RNA, as the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the protection levels would be similar.

Researchers found, however, that protection against infection from the Delta variant, also known as B.1.167, was somewhat diminished when compared with earlier variants of the virus.

Previous studies showed that one dose of vaccine did not offer strong protection against this variant.

U.K. health officials urged residents there to get their second dose as soon as it is their turn.

“It is absolutely vital to get both doses as soon as they are offered to you, to gain maximum protection against all existing and emerging variants,” said Dr. Mary Ramsay, head of immunization at PHE in a statement.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)