The biggest reason for the decrease in the effectiveness of the corona vaccine has been the delta variant, non-appliance of masks and negligence regarding social distance. The New York Department of Health has claimed this in a new study.
Scientists from the Department of Health studied the effectiveness of the vaccine in New York during the summer of 2021 as delta cases of corona increased. During this statewide vaccination, screening and hospitalization of patients were analyzed. The study found that the effectiveness of vaccines from Pfizer-BioNtech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson dropped by up to 25 percent during this period.
Vaccine 90% effective in preventing hospitalization
However, despite the lack of effectiveness, corona vaccines proved to be very effective in preventing hospitalization. The study found that the vaccine was 90 percent effective in preventing hospitalizations of infected people between the ages of 18 and 64 as Delta cases progressed.
Study on 8.8 million adults
About 8.8 million adults in New York were included in the study. Of these, about two-thirds were fully vaccinated against corona. The researchers conducted this analysis between May 1 and August 28, 2021. During this period, the delta variant was found in two percent to 99 percent of the cases in the state. During the growth of the delta variant of the corona, there was a decline in the effectiveness of the vaccine against infection.
Breakthrough cases increase due to change in covid protocol
Apart from this, researchers reported that changing the Kovid protocol in New York led to an increase in breakthrough cases. Researchers said that in early summer the CDC issued a new guideline. It said that people who have received both doses of the vaccine can go to public places without a mask. After this, as the city reopened, more and more New Yorkers participated in indoor activities. Due to this, there was a spurt in the cases of breakthrough infection.
Booster shot needed for the elderly
The researchers reported that only people over the age of 65 showed a decline in the vaccine’s safety against hospitalization in the summer. Based on this, researchers have emphasized the need to give booster shots to the elderly. Dr. Eli Rosenberg, a scientist in the Department of Health, says that these data suggest that the current concern about adults under 65 years of age can be reduced with a booster shot. Significantly, the US CDC and FDA have recently recommended Pfizer’s booster shot to be applied to the elderly.