LONDON – The British rapid explosion of vaccines has contributed to a significant decrease in infections, hospitalizations and deaths due to Covid-19, according to data contributing to a growing body of evidence that the shots provide significant protection against the disease.
The new information from the UK, published on Monday, is preliminary and has not been reviewed by other scientists, but provides reasons for optimism that vaccines provide a route out of a pandemic that claimed at least 2.5 million lives worldwide and dozens became ill from millions.
According to the data, vaccines are the most successful in preventing hospitalizations and deaths. While vaccines also suppress new infections, the effect has not been as pronounced.
The information seems to justify the UK’s policy of stretching limited vaccine stocks by delaying a second shot up to 12 weeks after the first, while also emphasizing the extra protection the second shot offers.
The data include an analysis of the effect of vaccinations among the elderly, an investigation into infection among vaccinated and non-vaccinated health workers, and a broad look at vaccinations in Scotland covering more than five million people.