Two Doses Of Pfizer, AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccines Boost Proteaction Against B.1.1.7, Study Finds

India is dealing with the rising cases of COVID-19 in the country right now but it appears getting two doses of the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine should address concerns on the B.1.1.7 strain. A study was made using the two vaccines results showed that two doses provided better protection for people against the coronavirus.

A study by the Public Health England looked at the health data of 1,054 people composed of different ages and ethnicities in April and May. It was found that the Pfizer vaccine was 88% effective against the B.1.617.2 variant and 93% efficient against the B.1.1.7 two weeks after the second dose.

The same was done with the AstraZeneca vaccine. It was found 60% effective against the first variant and 66% effective against the second one.

Worth noting here is that one dose alone will not work in keeping people safe against the virus. It was found that three weeks after the first dose, both vaccines provided only 33% effectiveness against the B.1.617.2 and 50% effectiveness against B.1.1.7.

In all, it is highly recommended to get the two doses to make sure that people are protected from the coronavirus. According to Jenny Harries, the chief executive of the U.K. Health Security Agency, the study backs the efficiency of vaccines in the fight against COVID-19.

“This evidence is groundbreaking & shows how important the 2nd dose is to secure the strongest protection against COVID-19,” U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock stated via Twitter. “Thank you to the scientists & clinicians who've been working to produce this research. It’s vital to get both jabs.”

Another vaccine, Moderna, was not included in the study because it had small numbers. As far as India’s struggles, it is believed that the B.1.617.2 variant is the reason why the country is struggling to bring down pandemic numbers. The B.1.1.7 is now the dominant strain in the U.K.