A new study conducted by Kerala’s Vellore  Christian Medical College has found that two doses of Covid-19 vaccine helped to reduce hospitalisation, need for oxygen therapy and ICU admission among healthcare workers (HCWs) who have a high risk of being infected with Covid19.  The results of the study have been published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

“Our study shows that COVID-19 vaccines have a great benefit in reducing infection and severity of disease. Vaccination helps in breaking the chain of transmission,” says Dr. Joy J Mammen, Professor at the Department of Transfusion Medicine, CMC Vellore and the corresponding author of the paper.

“We were not able to individually study the efficacy of Covishield and Covaxin as only a few received Covaxin,” Dr. Mammen said. Though over 93 percent received Covishield, the study only shows that vaccinated individuals are better protected compared with unvaccinated individuals.

In total, 8991 (84.8 percent) health-care workers were vaccinated between January 21 and April 30 2021. A majority of them (nearly 8,400) received Covishield. The incidence of infection and hospitalisation was studied between February 21 and May 19. While not a single death was reported among the 8,958 vaccinated individuals, there was one death among the 1,609 unvaccinated health-care workers.

The study found that among the 7,080 health-care workers who received two doses, the vaccines offered 65 percent protection against infection, 77 percent protection against hospitalisation, 92 percent protection against the need for oxygen and 94 percent protection from ICU admission.

Study reveals Pfizer Covid vaccines defensive against Beta, Gamma Variant

Study Findings: Non-altered birth cord cells boost survival of critically ill COVID patients

Insight: COVID produced more symptoms, complications than seasonal influenza in adolescences