Booster Shots are reported to provide 70-75% protection against mild Covid-19 caused by the Omicron variant, according to health authorities in the UK, based on preliminary results from a real-world study.
“We need to view these results with caution, but they indicate that several months after the second dose, the risk of a person contracting the Omicron variant is greater than that of Delta,” said Dr. Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunization at the UK Health Security Agency (HSA), as reported by Reuters on December 11.
“The data shows that this risk will be significantly reduced after receiving a booster shot, so I urge everyone to get their booster when eligible,” Ramsay added.
Additionally, Ramsay stated that the protective effectiveness of the two initial doses against severe Covid-19 is believed to remain high.
A woman receiving a Covid-19 vaccination in the UK. (Photo: New York Times).
This finding is among the first data on the vaccine’s protective ability against Omicron that is not derived from laboratory-based studies.
The new study involved 581 individuals infected with the Omicron variant. Analysis of this group showed that the protective effectiveness against symptomatic infection from two doses of the AstraZeneca and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines is significantly lower compared to effectiveness against Delta.
However, with a booster shot using the Pfizer vaccine, those fully vaccinated with AstraZeneca will have approximately 70% protection against symptomatic infection. This figure is around 75% for individuals who received both initial doses with Pfizer.
Meanwhile, the estimated protective effectiveness against Delta after a booster shot is about 90%.
According to the HSA, at this rate, Omicron will account for over 50% of all Covid-19 cases by mid-December. Additionally, the UK is expected to surpass 1 million infections by the end of this month.
