According to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are both 91% effective at reducing the risk of infection for fully vaccinated people.
This study is one of many that the CDC says provide “real-world evidence” of the vaccine’s effectiveness.
The study also showed that fully or partially vaccinated people who still contracted COVID-19 were still benefitted from the vaccine.
“COVID-19 vaccines are a critical tool in overcoming this pandemic,” said CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH. “Findings from the extended timeframe of this study add to accumulating evidence that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are effective and should prevent most infections — but that fully vaccinated people who still get COVID-19 are likely to have milder, shorter illness and appear to be less likely to spread the virus to others. These benefits are another important reason to get vaccinated.”
The new study was a four-week-long collection of data from vaccinated health care workers, first responders, frontline workers, and other essential workers that are more likely to be exposed to COVID-19 at work. Almost 4,000 people participated in 17 straight weeks of COVID-19 testing during the study.
The testing was used to determine how much viral load participants had and how many days they tested positive. According to the release, “Once fully vaccinated, participants’ risk of infection was reduced by 91 percent. After partial vaccination, participants’ risk of infection was reduced by 81 percent.”
People who contracted the virus after vaccination were compared to cases where unvaccinated people contracted the virus. The study found vaccinated individuals were sick for fewer days and had a lower risk of developing symptoms.
The CDC says the study also indicates that vaccinated people could be less likely to spread COVID-19 because they have a lower viral load and are sick for a shorter period of time.
The release states, “Overall, the study findings support CDC’s recommendation to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as you can.”
Source: www.wric.com
