AstraZeneca said new data from Public Health England (PHE) demonstrated COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca, offers high levels of protection against the Delta variant.
AstraZeneca vaccine is used in India as Covishield. Real-world data from PHE, demonstrated two doses of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca are 92% effective against hospitalization due to the Delta variant and showed no deaths among those vaccinated.
The higher efficacy against severe disease and hospitalization is supported by recent data showing a strong T-cell response to COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca, which should correlate with high and durable protection.
Mene Pangalos, Executive Vice President, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, said: “This real-world evidence shows that COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca provides a high level of protection against the Delta variant, which is currently a critical area of concern given its rapid transmission.”
The Delta variant is a key contributor to the current wave of infection in the Indian subcontinent and beyond. It has recently replaced the Alpha variant as the dominant strain in Scotland and is responsible for a notable increase in cases in the UK. The WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) has recommended COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca in countries where new variants, like the Delta variant of concern, are prevalent.