In a new study from Oxford University, researchers found the effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against COVID-19 declines faster than that of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
They found that two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech have greater initial effectiveness against new COVID-19 infections, but the effect declines faster compared with two doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca.
In the study, the team used data from a survey by Britain’s Office for National Statistics that carried out PCR tests from December last year to this month on randomly selected households.
They found that the dynamics of immunity following second doses differed strongly between Pfizer and AstraZeneca.
Pfizer had greater initial effectiveness but faster declines in protection against high viral burden and symptomatic infection, when the team looked at a period of several months after full vaccination.
The team also found the rates remained low for both jabs. The findings suggest that after four to five months effectiveness of these two vaccines would be similar.
The researchers also showed that protection was higher among those who had already been infected with the virus.
The AstraZeneca vaccine is the most widely offered in the UK, while those under 40 are offered Pfizer or Moderna due to blood clotting concerns.
If you care about COVID-19 vaccines, please read studies about this new vaccine can block COVID-19 and variants, plus other coronaviruses and findings of mammograms and the COVID-19 vaccine: What you need to know.
For more information about COVID-19 and your health, please see recent studies about why second dose of COVID-19 vaccine shouldn’t be skipped and results showing that new COVID vaccine guidance for the obese.
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