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Research in Israel appears to indicate that the initial dose of the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine isn’t as effective against Covid-19 as initial studies showed.
The UK government has begun to re-assess its current ‘one shot’ strategy as a result. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/one-dose-vaccine-strategy-may-not-protect-against-covid-8gpx7szr7?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1611145026
The UK government has begun to re-assess its current ‘one shot’ strategy as a result. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/one-dose-vaccine-strategy-may-not-protect-against-covid-8gpx7szr7?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1611145026
Sir Patrick Vallance has stated that the government is monitoring how many inoculated people are taken to hospital with the virus in the UK to see if similar results are borne out here. (2)
Both the Pfizer-Biontech and Oxford vaccines require two jabs, which the manufacturers say should be taken three/four weeks apart.
However, ministers chose to increase the gap to up to 12 weeks so that a greater number of vulnerable people could be vaccinated quickly. (3)
However, ministers chose to increase the gap to up to 12 weeks so that a greater number of vulnerable people could be vaccinated quickly. (3)
Unpublished data from Israeli health providers now indicates that the first round of the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine offers between 33%-60% effectiveness 14 days after a first dose. (4)
Analysis 
| Reports out of Israel, which has seen the most rapid vaccine roll-out of any country, sound ominous for the UK’s strategy of delaying booster injections to stretch supplies. (5)
| Reports out of Israel, which has seen the most rapid vaccine roll-out of any country, sound ominous for the UK’s strategy of delaying booster injections to stretch supplies. (5)
So far, however, it’s not clear — at least from the information in the public domain — that there is anything in Israel’s experience that warrants a change. (6)
Pfizer’s own studies suggested that a single dose of its vaccine was about 52% effective in preventing people from developing Covid-19 — defined as a positive test plus symptoms — after 12 days.
This is broadly in-line with Israel’s findings (7)
This is broadly in-line with Israel’s findings (7)
In addition to this, the methodology used in Israel’s trials makes it difficult to directly compare their results with Pfizer’s own. The US company, for example, used a randomised trial, whilst Israel’s own research did not (8)
To read more news and analysis, see the full report: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/one-dose-vaccine-strategy-may-not-protect-against-covid-8gpx7szr7
