Vaccine 'highly protective' against Delta variant says professor

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Professor Pollard has hailed new findings which show two doses of a coronavirus vaccine is “high protective” against the Delta and Alpha virus variants.  The study found that two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are 96 percent effective at preventing hospitalisation. While a double dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab was 92 percent effective. Sir Andrew hailed the data as a “really important moment.”

Sir Andrew told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme: “I think this is a really important moment.

“Because we have seen now very high level of protection with two doses against the Delta variant.

“And remember the vaccines were made to fight off the original variant which was first identified in Wuhan  China.

“And they have shown good protections against Alpha which is the Kent variant and now all the way through to this Delta variant which is spreading for well.”

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The head of the Oxford Vaccine Group continued:  “So two doses are highly protective and that is incredibly good news for the months ahead.

“Of course the important point here is that we really do need to get two doses into those people who are at greatest risk of getting severely ill.

“Because if we can do that then that will keep the vast majority of people out of hospital.”

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has also welcomed the new data.

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He said: “Our UK vaccination programme continues at pace and has already saved thousands of lives. It is our way out of this pandemic.

“This evidence of the effectiveness of two doses against variants shows just how crucial it is to get your second jab.”

Meanwhile, Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at PHE added: “These hugely important findings confirm that the vaccines offer significant protection against hospitalisation from the Delta variant.

“The vaccines are the most important tool we have against COVID-19. 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.”

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Meanwhile, former chief scientific adviser Professor Sir Mark Walport has urged Briton to continue supporting the vaccine drive.

Professor Walport said: “This variant shows some partial escape, particularly from the first dose – so first dose of vaccine is about 30 percent effective compared to 50 percent with the previous variant.

“We are starting to see hospital numbers rise, though fortunately with nothing like the intensity we saw previously.”

He stressed: “The more people we get vaccinated, the better chance we have of not having serious hospitalisations and deaths.”

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