Effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca Vaccines: Real-World Data from the U.K.

The phase 3 trials substantiating authorization of the currently available COVID-19 vaccines are well known — but how effective are these vaccines in real life, especially when just a single dose is given (as has been advocated in the U.K.) to permit broader coverage with limited supplies? Investigators conducted a population-based study of the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination in England between December 8, 2020, and February 19, 2021, when the B1.1.7 variant emerged. SARS-CoV-2 PCR test results in 156,930 adults aged ≥70 were linked with national vaccination and mortality registries and hospital admissions data.

When vaccination status was assessed in individuals testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 (44,590; 28%) compared with those testing…