One jab could be enough for those who have had Covid

ONE dose of the Pfizer vaccine could be enough to protect millions of people who have already had Covid, Public Health England research suggests.

Scientists said the findings could “potentially accelerate vaccine rollout” if those going for jabs were offered tests to see if they had antibodies first.

University College London and PHE tracked 51 health workers who had undergone regular tests for antibodies and infection since March.

Roughly half had been infected, and a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine increased their antibody levels more than 140-fold from their peak levels before inoculation, the study said.

This appeared to give them more robust protection than two doses of the vaccine in people who had never been infected, the scientists said. A study by scientists at Imperial College London, measured the immune responses of 72 health workers who were vaccinated in December, a third of whom had signs of previous infection.

For those people, one dose of the Pfizer vaccine stimulated “very strong” antibody responses, the study said, as well as “very strong T-cell responses”.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “Data shows both vaccines currently being used are highly effective after two doses and our programme remains unchanged.”

It came as the deputy chief medical officer said he was concerned people might be tempted to bend the rules, telling the Downing Street press conference: “I do worry that people think it’s all over.”

Prof Jonathan Van-tam urged the public: “Do not wreck this now … Just continue to maintain discipline and hang on just a few more months.”

THE risk of Covid transmission appears to be cut by three quarters after vaccination, research by Cambridge University suggests.

Scientists said the findings, which were based on a single dose of the Pfizer jab, were “dramatic” and showed that vaccines offered a way out of lockdown and “a much brighter future”.

The study involved almost 9,000 hospital workers who were screened for coronavirus in January, meaning that cases could be detected whether or not symptoms were showing.

It found that 0.8 per cent of tests from unvaccinated workers were positive, compared with just 0.2 per cent of those who had been vaccinated at least 12 days before. A similar reduction was seen among those with symptoms of the virus, when those given the jab were compared with those yet to receive it.

But the impact shown on asymptomatic cases is particularly significant, because it suggests the vaccines are blocking transmission of the virus.

Dr Mike Weekes, an infectious disease specialist at CUH and the University of Cambridge’s Department of Medicine, who led the study, said: “This is great news – the Pfizer vaccine not only provides protection against becoming ill but also helps prevent infection, reducing the potential for the virus to be passed on to others.”

He added: “We have to remember that the vaccine doesn’t give complete protection for everyone. We still need social distancing, masks, hand hygiene and regular testing until the pandemic is under better control.”

Earlier this week data from Scotland found one dose of the Astrazeneca jab reduced hospitalisations by 94 per cent, and the Pfizer jab by 85 per cent.