A two-dose Pfizer vaccination appeared to provide just 33 per cent protection against infection during South Africa’s current Omicron wave, but 70 per cent protection against hospitalisation, according to a new analysis.
The Omicron variant appears to cause less severe disease than previous versions of the coronavirus, and the Pfizer vaccine seems to offer less defence against infection from it but still good protection from hospitalisation, according to an analysis of data from South Africa, where the new variant is driving a surge in infections.
Researchers around the world are rushing to figure out what Omicron will mean for the coronavirus pandemic now well into its second year. More information came on Tuesday from Pfizer, which announced that its experimental pill to treat COVID-19 – separate from it its vaccine – appears effective against the new variant.
The result shows that people who received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine had 33 per cent protection against infection in the first weeks of South Africa’s current Omicron-driven wave. That’s a significant drop from the 80 per cent protection against infection afforded during earlier periods.
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