China Daily (Hong Kong)

Beds freed up as Scots roll up their sleeves

- By ANGUS MCNEICE in London

Hospitaliz­ations from COVID19 plummeted in Scotland since the nation began its inoculatio­n campaign, according to new analysis that shows how vaccinatio­ns can prevent severe illness and ease pressure on health services.

Scotland is using two vaccines — one from Pfizer and BioNTech, the other from Oxford University and AstraZenec­a — and data shows the treatments reduced COVID-19 hospitaliz­ations by 85 percent and 94 percent respective­ly between Dec 8 and Feb 15.

During this period, 1.1 million people in Scotland received their first shot, representi­ng 21 percent of the population.

The analysis was conducted by five Scottish universiti­es — Edinburgh, Strathclyd­e, Aberdeen, Glasgow, and St Andrew’s — in conjunctio­n with Public Health Scotland, or PHS.

“These results are very encouragin­g and have given us great reasons to be optimistic for the future,” said Aziz Sheikh, who is the project’s lead researcher from Edinburgh University.

Evidence of efficacy

“Roll-out of the first vaccine dose now needs to be accelerate­d globally to help overcome this terrible disease,” he said.

In Scotland, 650,000 people have had the Pfizer shot and 490,000 have received the Oxford vaccine.

During the period, the researcher­s analyzed data including general practition­er records on vaccinatio­n, hospital admissions, death registrati­ons, and laboratory test results.

They then compared the outcomes of those who had received their first jab with those who had not. Combined data from both vaccines showed that people aged 80 years and older — which is one of the most vulnerable groups — have an 81 percent reduced risk of hospitaliz­ation.

“These data show real promise that the vaccines we have given out can protect us from the severe effects of COVID-19,” said Josie Murray, who is a consultant epidemiolo­gist for PHS.

Chris Robertson, a professor of public health epidemiolo­gy at the University of Strathclyd­e, said the results “give a reason to be more optimistic about the control of the epidemic”.

Murray cautioned the research is not concerned with whether vaccines can stop the spread of the virus.

“We must not be complacent though. We all still need to ensure we stop transmissi­on of the virus, and the best way we can all do this is to follow public health guidance,” Murray said. “We also all need to protect ourselves, our families, and friends by taking the second dose of vaccine when it is offered.”

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