Delta variant: how effective are the vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Janssen

This is probably the most mentioned word when it comes to coronavirus: Delta. The variant is still spreading around the world, especially on the European continent. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers it a disturbing variant because its transmissibility is greater than that of the common coronavirus and doubles the risk of hospitalization.

According to the latest report prepared by the Spanish Ministry of Health on the epidemiological situation of the variants of SARS-CoV-2 with the greatest impact and interest for public health in Spain, the Delta variant began to appear in screening during of the last 4 weeks with values below 1%. However, recently, four clusters of cases due to the Delta variant were reported in the same autonomous community. with 24, 2, 3 and 6 cases respectively (In the latter case, it is not excluded to detect further new cases). Two of them were from imported cases and the outbreak with three cases is part of a larger outbreak, with more than 60 cases in four autonomous communities.

One of the questions that arise in Europe is: Will Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Janssen vaccines be effective?

Pfizer and AstraZeneca, effective against the Delta variant

According to a study published in the prestigious scientific journal ‘The Lancet’, 79% of people vaccinated with a single dose of Pfizer vaccine showed a neutralizing antibody response reduced to 32% compared to the parental strain and 25% to the beta variant.

For its part, reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines show reduced efficacy when vaccinated with a single dose. However, this is minimal when a full regimen of either of these two vaccines is received and sufficient to neutralize the virus.

Currently There are no studies demonstrating the efficacy or loss of efficacy against the Delta variant of the Janssen or Moderna vaccines.

UK braces for third wave

Currently in UK, the Delta variant already represents 90% of cases and infections are increasing, once again exceeding the ten thousand positive daily mark. The government adviser, Adam Finn, assured that the third wave is “certainly on the way”, although he still has some optimism: “The cases are not increasing faster.

Dr Jenny Harries, Executive Director of the UK Health Safety Agency, said: “The increase is mainly in the younger age groups, many of whom have not been vaccinated but are now being asked to be vaccinated. It is encouraging to see that hospitalizations and deaths are not increasing at the same rate, but we will continue to monitor it closely. “

In the UK country, giving as many doses to as many people as possible has been prioritized. In other words, many people with a single dose were preferred over a few with the full regimen, which can also influence infections, as a single injection may be insufficient when faced with the Delta variant.

In this country, nightclubs will remain closed, the limited capacity for sporting events, pubs, restaurants and cinemas is maintained, as well as the maximum limit of six people or two families residing in the same household for indoor meetings.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed its “to worry”Ante la easing of restrictions against the coronavirus in countries participating in the European Football Championship. “This variant worries us a lot, and it is already circulating in 92 countries”underlined the head of the WHO anticovid technical unit, Maria Van Kerkhove.

The delta variant “now has the possibility of being transmitted with increased socialization, if the relaxation of measures is done too early“At a time when large populations are still not vaccinated, added the American expert.

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