The NICD says vaccines remain the most effective method to prevent and control severe Covid-19 after the lifting of regulations.
The NICD says vaccines remain the most effective method to prevent and control severe Covid-19. Stock photo.The National Institute for Communicable Diseases says vaccines remain the most effective method to prevent and control severe Covid-19 after the lifting of regulations.
The NICD stressed people eligible for vaccines must get shots and boosters as indicated in the national programme. “A South African study found among individuals vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the effectiveness against hospitalisation for Covid-19 was 74% at 14 to 27 days post-vaccination, and 72% at one to two months.
“Among people receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the effectiveness was 88% at 14 to 27 days post-vaccination, 70% at one to two months, 71% at three to four months, and 67% at five months or longer, indicating very high protection against severe disease,” said the NICD. “Even in people who have had previous infection with SARS-CoV-2 vaccination has been shown to confer substantial protective benefit against severe disease and death.”