Unvaccinated 11 times more likely to die

WASHINGTON, Sept 11, (Agencies): A large study by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shown that people who were not fully vaccinated were over 10 times more likely to be hospitalized, 11 times more likely to die of COVID-19 than those who were fully vaccinated.

The study, one of three published by the CDC Friday on the efficacy of Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, also indicated that Moderna vaccine is most effective.

Moreover, the second CDC study suggested the Moderna coronavirus vaccine was moderately more effective in preventing hospitalizations than its counterparts from Pfizer-BioNTech and Johnson & Johnson.

It noted that while the three vaccines were collectively 86 percent effective in preventing hospitalization, the protection was significantly higher among Moderna vaccine recipients (95 percent) than those who got PfizerBioNTech (80 percent) or Johnson & Johnson (60 percent).

Furthermore, the third CDC study showed that the vaccines endured some erosion as the delta variant became dominant, especially among adults who are 65 years and older but protection against severe disease and death remained strong, albeit less so in that group.

Meanwhile, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky at the White House COVID-19 briefing on Friday said, “Vaccination works and will protect us from the severe complications of COVID-19.”

“The bottom line is this: We have the scientific tools we need to turn the corner on this pandemic,” he added.

The trio of reports comes as President Biden announced sweeping coronavirus vaccine mandates on Thursday to curb the surging delta variant, which expected to increase pressure on tens of millions of Americans who have resisted vaccinations.

The coronavirus has killed more than 650,000 people in the United States with about 1,500 average daily deaths for the past eight days - a toll not seen since early March, according to data analyzed by The Washington Post.

Meanwhile, booster shots to extend the protection of COVID-19 vaccines may be unnecessary for many people, a leading scientist behind the AstraZeneca vaccine said on Friday.

Oxford University Professor Sarah Gilbert told The Telegraph newspaper that immunity from the vaccine was holding up well - even against the delta variant. While the elderly and those who are immune-compromised may need boosters, the standard two-dose regimen is providing lasting protection for most people, she said.

“We will look at each situation; the immuno-compromised and elderly will receive boosters,’’ she said. “But I don’t think we need to boost everybody. Immunity is lasting well in the majority of people.”

The comments come as the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization, a panel of experts that advises the British government, is expected to make recommendations in the coming days on the scale of any booster program. Britain’s medical regulator on Thursday said the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines were safe to use as boosters.

UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said he expects a booster program to start later this month.

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BERLIN: Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of BioNTech Ozlem Tureci said Friday that her German company is working to create a COVID-19 vaccine for children under age 12 within a few weeks.

In the upcoming weeks, they will present to laboratories around the world the results of their study dedicated to creating a COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of five and 11, then apply for approval of the vaccine for this age group, Tureci was quoted as saying by the weekly magazine Der Spiegel.

BioNTech started preparing for production of the vaccine, which is similar to the one for adults; yet at a lower dose, she added.