AstraZeneca vaccine found to be 79% effective in U.S. trial, ‘no increased risk’ of blood clots

The findings of a large U.S. trial have shown that the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford is 79% effective in preventing symptomatic illness and 100% effective against severe disease and hospitalization. The safety and efficacy analysis of the AstraZeneca vaccine, published Monday, was based on 32,449 participants across 88 trial centers in the U.S., Peru and Chile.

Data from the late-stage human trial study reaffirms that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and highly effective. By comparison, Moderna’s vaccine has been found to be more than 94% effective in preventing Covid and Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine was found to be 95% effective. AstraZeneca said it will continue to analyze the data and prepare for the primary analysis to be submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization in the coming weeks.

The results come shortly after several countries temporarily suspended the use of the shot following reports of blood clots in some vaccinated people. Health experts sharply criticized the move, citing a lack of data, while analysts expressed concern about the impact on vaccine uptake as the virus continues to spread. Germany, France, Italy and Spain are among those to have resumed use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine after Europe’s drug regulator said its initial investigation of possible side effects concluded the shot is safe and effective. The World Health Organization and the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis have recommended that countries continue to use the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

AstraZeneca vaccine found to be 79% effective in U.S. trial, ‘no increased risk’ of blood clots, CNBC, Mar 23