Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Jun 21, 2025

State-funded UK study says Pfizer, AstraZeneca vaccines are ‘highly effective’ against Indian Covid-19 variant

State-funded UK study says Pfizer, AstraZeneca vaccines are ‘highly effective’ against Indian Covid-19 variant

Two doses of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines provide sufficient protection against symptomatic disease from the Indian strain of Covid-19, which is thought to be more vaccine-resistant, a study by Public Health England says.
“New study by PHE shows for the first time that 2 doses of the COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective” against the virus variant first identified in India, a UK government press release citing the study’s results said.

The research shows that the Pfizer vaccine provides 88% protection against symptomatic disease caused by the Indian variant two weeks after the patient receives the second dose, while AstraZeneca’s vaccine is 66% effective.

The first dose of both vaccines is only 33% effective against symptomatic disease. The press release explains the difference in the effectiveness of the two by the fact that the “rollout of second doses of AstraZeneca was later than for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine,” and it “takes longer to reach maximum effectiveness with the AstraZeneca.”

“This study provides reassurance that 2 doses of either vaccine offer high levels of protection against symptomatic disease from the [Indian] variant,” Dr. Mary Ramsay, the head of immunisation at Public Health England (PHE), said.

She also said the researchers expect the vaccines to be “even more effective at preventing hospitalisation and death,” though they do not have sufficient evidence to estimate the effectiveness against severe outcomes of infections caused by the Indian strain, the government statement said.

Despite providing a decent level of protection after two doses, both vaccines appear to be slightly less effective against the Indian variant in comparison to the British strain, the study shows. According to PHE, Pfizer is 93% effective against the British strain, and AstraZeneca provides 66% protection after two doses.

The results were lauded by Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who called them groundbreaking evidence in support of the UK’s vaccination program.

“We can now be confident that over 20 million people – more than 1 in 3 – have significant protection against this new variant, and that number is growing by the hundreds of thousands every single day as more and more people get that vital second dose,” he said.

The study was based on an analysis of 1,054 cases in which people in the UK contracted the Indian virus variant between early April and mid-May.

The results came just days after Germany’s public health agency, the Robert Koch Institute, warned that the existing vaccines could be less effective against the Indian variant. Germany also said it was reassessing its travel arrangements with the UK after a small number of cases of the new mutation were detected in Britain.

First discovered in India in October 2020, the so-called ‘Indian strain’ has since spread to more than 50 countries worldwide and was declared a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to fears it could be more transmissible and more resistant to vaccines and treatment.

The UK has reported the most cases linked to the Indian strain among all European countries – more than 3,850 were reported as of May 19.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
×