Vaccines have emerged as one of the only conceivable ways to fight the Covid pandemic. While lockdowns work, they should allow people to revert to their “normal” lives this year and keep infections from spreading around. Even if they fail to do so, researchers have recently discovered they can at least prevent the vast majority of severe cases.
Protection against symptomatic Covid ranged between 57 and 61 percent one month after the first dose.
For over-80s, a single dose of the vaccine is up to 80 percent effective at preventing hospitalisation.
Symptomatic infections start decreasing roughly three weeks after one or both doses.
Dr Mary Ramsay, PHE Head of Immunisation, said while the news is “encouraging”, people should “continue to act like you have the virus, practise good hand hygiene and stay at home” even if they have had the jab.