Protection against the coronavirus is waning among those who have received both shots of the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines, a new U.K. study has found.
An analysis from the U.K.’s ZOE Covid app study of over 400,000 people who had received both shots of the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine, showed that it was 88% effective in protecting against the coronavirus a month after receiving both shots. However, its effectiveness fell to 74% five or six months after receiving both doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
The data was collected after May 26, when the delta variant became the dominant strain, said Tim Spector, who is running the ongoing ZOE Covid app study.
Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London, presented this latest data during a webinar on Tuesday and said that the findings showed a “reduced benefit” of protection from both of these vaccines as the months progress.
Nearly 42 million people in the U.K., 77% of the population aged over 16, have received two doses of a Covid vaccine, according to government data last updated on Tuesday. The daily data showed 30,838 Covid-19 infections had been recorded on Tuesday, while 174 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for the virus.
Alexander Hammers, a professor of imaging and neuroscience at King’s College London, said on the webinar it was already known from other coronaviruses that immunity against the disease didn’t tend to be lifelong.
And even though the data did show a “waning” in the effectiveness of the vaccines over time, Hammers said that people were “still probably at least 50% protected.”
“Remember when the vaccines were first developed it was hoped that they were to have 60%-70% efficacy and everybody was pleasantly surprised that they came in well over 80%, sometimes well over 90,” he added.
Nevertheless, Spector said he was still “a bit worried” by coronavirus data coming out of Israel, which had one of the fastest vaccination programs in the world and was ahead of the U.K.
He pointed out that Israel was starting to see increased hospitalizations and deaths from the coronavirus, despite a large proportion of its population being vaccinated.
Data published by Israel in July, showed that the Pfizer vaccine was just 16% effective against symptomatic infection for those individuals who received two doses in January.
Comparing results is tricky, however, given differences in the nature of the vaccination programs in different countries, as well as differences in study dates, age groups and Covid testing regimes.
News
China closing in but US leads in biotech quality, commercial reach, survey finds
SAN DIEGO, June 22 (Reuters) - China, which now conducts more clinical drug trials, opens new tab than the U.S., still lags in the quality and commercial reach of its biomedical science, according to a recent survey, opens new [...]
New method generates renewable supply of progenitor immune cells
In a paper published in Cell, a USC Stem Cell-led team reports a new way of generating a renewable and expandable supply of the progenitor cells that give rise to macrophages. These immune cells help [...]
Scientists Just Discovered a Cellular Survival System That Was Never Supposed To Exist
A surprising backup pathway allows cells to make a crucial amino acid when their primary machinery fails. For decades, biologists believed cells had only one way to access a molecule they cannot live without. New [...]
Artificial cells gain porous membranes, enabling lab reactions and drug release
Artificial cells created in the laboratory offer a wide range of potential applications. Until now, however, their membranes—unlike those of real cells—have been virtually impermeable. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, [...]
Popular Weight-Loss Drugs Like Ozempic Linked to Lower Breast Cancer Risk
Ozempic and similar weight-loss drugs were linked to a striking 30% reduction in breast cancer risk in a study of more than 110,000 women. Popular weight-loss and diabetes medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, [...]
Stanford Scientists Discover Explosive New Type of Immune Cell
Scientists studying the remarkable regenerative abilities of planarian flatworms have uncovered a previously unknown type of immune cell with an unusually destructive defense strategy. What if an immune cell could wipe out nearby threats [...]
Big Pharma-backed SonoThera sounds off with $125M series B for bubble-based genetic delivery
Bay Area biotech SonoThera is bubbling to a clinical boil after raising a $125 million series B with the backing of some of the biggest names in pharma. Vida Ventures led the raise, with the venture [...]
Joint initiative of 5 EU countries calls for ‘unified approach’ to pharma framework amid US drug pricing pressure
With drug pricing pressure building from the U.S., a healthcare-focused consortium of five European countries is calling for a “unified approach” to strengthen Europe’s pharmaceutical framework and access to innovative medicines. Belgium, the Netherlands, [...]
Our books now available worldwide!
Online Sellers other than Amazon, Routledge, and IOPP Indigo Global Health Care Equivalency in the Age of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine and Artifcial Intelligence Global Health Care Equivalency In The Age Of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine And Artificial [...]
Molecular Manufacturing: The Future of Nanomedicine – New book from NanoappsMedical Inc.
This book explores the revolutionary potential of atomically precise manufacturing technologies to transform global healthcare, as well as practically every other sector across society. This forward-thinking volume examines how envisaged Factory@Home systems might enable the cost-effective [...]
NanoMedical Brain/Cloud Interface – Explorations and Implications. A new book from Frank Boehm
New book from Frank Boehm, NanoappsMedical Inc Founder: This book explores the future hypothetical possibility that the cerebral cortex of the human brain might be seamlessly, safely, and securely connected with the Cloud via [...]
New book from Nanoappsmedical Inc. – Global Health Care Equivalency
A new book by Frank Boehm, NanoappsMedical Inc. Founder. This groundbreaking volume explores the vision of a Global Health Care Equivalency (GHCE) system powered by artificial intelligence and quantum computing technologies, operating on secure [...]
UCLA Scientists Uncover a “Hidden Weakness” in Some of the World’s Deadliest Cancers
A new study has uncovered an unexpected vulnerability in some of the deadliest cancers. Researchers at UCLA have identified a previously hidden weakness in some of the most aggressive cancers, pointing to a possible new way [...]
AI-designed universal coronavirus vaccine clears first human trial
Key Takeaways Super-Antigen Technology: Uses AI and machine learning to analyze viral genomes, creating a single vaccine that targets essential features across entire virus families, including coronaviruses and Ebola. Human Trials & Safety: Phase [...]
Researchers Discover a Hidden Vitamin D Problem That Persists Year-Round
A new study suggests that some groups may not experience the expected seasonal boost in vitamin D levels, even during the sunniest months of the year. Many people assume that spending more time outdoors [...]
Researchers Solve the Mystery Behind a Billion-Dollar Dental Implant Disease
Researchers have uncovered why a common and costly dental implant infection often resists antibiotics. Dental implants have helped tens of millions of people regain a full set of stable, functional teeth, something traditional dentures [...]















