Covid symptoms: Dr Amir urges government to update website
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Three-quarters of Britain’s adult population have now received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine. However, the nation is still racing to vaccinate all adults and curb the more dangerous variant of the virus, which is spreading rapidly in the UK. A new study suggests people who have received both doses of a coronavirus vaccine are half as likely to be infected with COVID-19.
A trial, based on more than 98,000 people in England, found that if a double-jabbed person came into contact with a person who had COVID-19, only one in 25 would catch the virus.
The findings showed that the percentage of those who tested positive for the virus was 0.4 percent among the double-jabbed, compared to 1.21 among those unvaccinated.
Steven Riley, professor of infectious disease dynamics at Imperial College London, said the study showed that double-jabbed individuals are “taking a decent chunk of potential transmission out of what may or may not happen in September.”
He added: “There has been a drop, a plateau now, and I think it is challenging to make any kind of prediction over the summer months.
“There is uncertainty around what might happen in September when schools return and there is increased indoor mixing.”
Researchers noted that vaccine effectiveness was 49 percent among individuals who said they had been fully immunised.
Professor Paul Elliott, director of the React programme and chair in epidemics and public health at Imperial College London added: “In other words, people who are double-vaccinated are half as likely to be infected.
“There are some double-vaccinated people who will get infected because even with very high protection, it’s not 100 percent.”
Professor Elliott noted that double-jabbed individuals also had a lower viral load, meaning their condition will be milder if they do catch the virus.
Researchers also found that the Delta variant of COVID-19 has “completely taken over” from the previously-dominant Alpha variant first reported in the UK.
Professor Elliot said the surge in infections to mid-July was being driven by younger people.
The BBC reported that UK experts are set to recommend all 16 to 17-year-old be offered COVID-19 vaccine, after carefully assessing the benefits and risks for youngsters.
According to Whitehall sources, ministers in England are expected to accept the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
The move means about 1.4 million teenagers will be included in the new rollout.
The only vaccine currently authorised in the UK for under-18s if the Pfizer-BioNTech jab.
England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said the JCVI were confident vaccines would protect children to a high degree.
It comes as all over-18s have now been offered a vaccination against COVID-19.
Latest government data showed 88.7 percent of people in the UK have now had one dose of a vaccine, while 73 percent had had two jabs.
A further 21,691 cases of people testing positive for coronavirus were recorded on Tuesday.
The UK has also recorded another 138 COVID-19 related deaths, the highest daily total since March 17.
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