E-Paper
AstraZeneca-Oxford Covid-19 vaccine found to be 79% effective in US trial
The findings should go some way to bolstering confidence in the shot globally after confusion over the true efficacy of the vaccine and the best dosing regimen has impacted take-up, particularly in Europe.
The Covid-19 vaccine from AstraZeneca Plc and the University of Oxford was 79% effective in preventing the disease in a US trial, paving the way for the shot’s potential approval.
The UK drugmaker published the first data from a study of more than 30,000 volunteers on Monday. The results are good news for older adults, who made up about a quarter of the tests, after trials last year failed to provide conclusive data for that age group due to a lack of participants over the age of 65.
The vaccine was also shown to be 100% effective at preventing severe disease, death and hospitalization.
The findings should go some way to bolstering confidence in the shot globally after confusion over the true efficacy of the vaccine and the best dosing regimen has impacted take-up, particularly in Europe.
Trials in the U.K. and Brazil last year produced a range of readings due to different dosing amounts and regimens used, and at least 10 countries in the European Union only approved the shot for under-65s initially. Many have since reversed that decision after more data from real world use showed the shot was highly effective in older people.
