20m lives saved by Covid-19 vaccines

MORE than 65 per cent of Toowoomba region residents have received three doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, as new research reveals the vaccines have saved as many as 20 million lives across the globe.

Researchers estimate that 19.8 million out of a total of 31.4 million potential deaths were prevented in the first year after vaccines were introduced (December 8, 2020 to December 8, 2021).

The study, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, was based on data from 185 countries and territories and was the first to assess deaths averted directly and indirectly as a result of Covid vaccination, the authors wrote.

The news was welcomed by University of Queensland School of Medicine Associate Professor Paul Griffin, also the director of infectious diseases at Mater Health Services in Brisbane.

“The challenges with any public health intervention is that it’s always hard to prove it was required and how much of an impact it had,” he said.

“These sort of estimates reinforce what a lot of us have been saying.

“And while the vaccines are still enduring a very significant pandemic, the impact has been extraordinary and we need to recognise that and appreciate that in terms of affirmation,” he said.

However, Professor Griffin said it was important for Australians not to assume the pandemic was over.

“I think the biggest challenges we face is that maybe the communication of risk was a little bit high for a while, and almost overnight, we pivoted to a message of reassurance that was probably a bit excessive given where we’re up to,” he said.

“Many people think that pandemic is over, and that we’re in that post-pandemic state.”