Impact and effectiveness of mRNA BNT162b2 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19 cases, hospitalisations, and deaths following a nationwide vaccination campaign in Israel: an observational study using national surveillance data
Study reports that two doses of BNT162b2 are highly effective in preventing symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19-related hospitalisations, severe disease, and death, including those caused by the B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant.
Source:
The Lancet
SPS commentary:
The adjusted estimates of vaccine effectiveness at 7 days or longer after the second dose were 95·3%, 91·5% against asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, 97·0% against symptomatic COVID-19, 97·2% against COVID-19-related hospitalisation, 97·5% against severe or critical COVID-19-related hospitalisation, and 96·7% against COVID-19-related death. As vaccine coverage increased, the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 outcomes declined.
According to a commentary, Israel's experience provides impetus for countries to proactively pursue high vaccine coverage to protect the population; however, rollout would need to follow the WHO prioritisation roadmap to maximise the public health impact, in light of vaccine supply constraints. It notes that timely reporting of vaccine effectiveness against variants of concern, the duration of protection across age groups and geographical settings, and the effectiveness of alternative dosing regimens, is crucial to provide data-driven immunisation policies.