Moderna Vaccine 95% Effective at Preventing Hospitalization, Pfizer 80%: Study

Moderna's vaccine for Covid-19 is significantly more effective against the Delta variant of the SARS-CoV2 virus than Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson, suggests a new study.

The study, published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, suggests that Moderna was 95 per cent effective at preventing hospitalisation among adults ages 18 and older.

Highly Effective at Reducing Covid-19 Related Hospitalization

"These real-world data show that vaccines remain highly effective at reducing Covid-19 related hospitalisation and emergency department visits, even in the presence of the new Covid-19 variant," said researcher Shaun Grannis from Indiana University in the US.

 3rd COVID-19 shot
FDA is planning to amend clearances as soon as Thursday for Moderna and Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines to allow extra doses for people with compromised immune systems Twitter

"We strongly recommend vaccinations for all who are eligible to reduce serious illness and ease the burden on our healthcare system," Grannis added.

The team also found that Pfizer was 80 per cent effective at preventing hospitalisation among adults ages 18 and older. While Johnson & Johnson was 60 per cent effective.

Analyzed more than 32,000 Medical Encounters

For the study, the team analyzed more than 32,000 medical encounters from nine states during June, July and August 2021, when the Delta variant became the predominant strain.

pfizer-biontech vaccine
A lab study has suggested that the South African variant may reduce antibody protection from the Pfizer Inc/BioNTech vaccine by two-thirds. Pixabay

The results showed that unvaccinated individuals with Covid-19 are 5-7 times more likely to need emergency department care or hospitalisation, similar to the overall effectiveness prior to the variant.

The study also found that vaccine effectiveness is lower for people 75 years and older, which has not been shown in previous research.

This could be due to a range of factors, including the increased time since vaccination, the researchers noted.

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