Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Two doses of Covid-19 shots prevent hospitalisation from Delta variant, says Public Health England

Two doses of Covid-19 shots prevent hospitalisation from Delta variant, says Public Health England

TWO doses of Covid-19 vaccines are "highly effective" in preventing hospital admission with the Delta variant, Public Health England (PHE) said on Monday (14).

Scientists said two jabs of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine stopped the need for in-patient treatment in 96 per cent of cases. With a double dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca shot, the rate was 92 per cent, PHE added.


The findings were published as Britain grapples with a surge in coronavirus cases, most of which were of the Delta strain, that was first reported in India and is said to be one of the causes behind the country's deadly second wave.

The increase in Delta variant cases in the UK is again raising concerns about the potential strain on hospitals, prompting prime minister Boris Johnson to delay the reopening as planned on June 21 by four weeks in a press conference on Monday (14).

The restrictions have been in place since January, when the Alpha strain of the coronavirus, which was first identified in Kent, southeast England, spread rapidly.

The government, which began a mass-vaccination programme with the Pfizer/BioNTech jab in December last year, is pushing for more people to get two jabs.

PHE said the vaccine effectiveness for the Delta variant is comparable to that for the Alpha strain after looking at 14,019 cases of the new variant in England between April 12 and June 4.

Head of immunisation Mary Ramsay said: "These hugely important findings confirm that the vaccines offer significant protection against hospitalisation from the Delta variant."

Further investigations were underway to determine the level of protection against death from the Delta variant, PHE said, but added that it was expected to be "high".

Previous analysis indicated that one dose of vaccine is 17 per cent less effective in preventing a person developing symptoms from the Delta variant than the Alpha one. But the latest research showed there was only a small difference after two doses.

Nearly 57 per cent of the UK's adult population now have two doses, according to government statistics.

Simon Kolstoe, senior lecturer in evidence-based healthcare at the University of Portsmouth said that vaccination is clearly working. 

"The vaccine certainly seems to be doing its job in breaking this link but a few more weeks to get more people vaccinated certainly seems like a sensible option,” he said.

More For You

Streeting hails India’s global role as Labour backs bilateral relations

Wes Streeting addresses the Republic Day reception at the Guildhall in London last Tuesday (28),joined by Sir Lindsay Hoyle and Vikram Doraiswami

Streeting hails India’s global role as Labour backs bilateral relations

WES STREETING spoke of the priority prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour government attach to relations with India when he addressed a Republic Day reception at the Guildhall in London last Tuesday (28).

But the secretary of state for health and social care won over the large Indian crowd by paying an unexpected tribute to Rishi Sunak.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sri Lanka seeks to negotiate with Adani over renewable energy plants

Gautam Adani

Sri Lanka seeks to negotiate with Adani over renewable energy plants

SRI LANKA’S government started talks with India’s Adani Group to lower the cost of power from two wind power projects the group will build in the island nation’s northern province, the cabinet spokesman said last Tuesday (28).

Sri Lanka has been reviewing the group’s local projects after US authorities in November accused billionaire founder Gautam Adani and other executives of being part of a scheme to pay bribes to secure Indian power supply contracts. Adani has denied the allegations.

Keep ReadingShow less
Badenoch proposes stricter citizenship rules for all migrants

Kemi Badenoch delivers speech on January 16, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Badenoch proposes stricter citizenship rules for all migrants

CONSERVATIVE PARTY on Thursday (6) proposed a clampdown on all migrants by tightening citizenship rules and barring social benefit claimants from residency rights.

Kemi Badenoch, who took over from Rishi Sunak in November last year, outlined her first major policy agenda as Tory leader in a move seen as an attempt to win back the support of Conservative voters drawn to the far-right anti-immigrant Reform party.

Keep ReadingShow less
New body led by Sir Sajid Javid aims to amplify ‘unheard’ voices
Sajid Javid

New body led by Sir Sajid Javid aims to amplify ‘unheard’ voices

A NEW independent commission to improve cohesion would engage across all nations and regions of the UK by moving beyond Westminster-centric discussions and include more diverse voices, the director of British Future thinktank has said.

Sunder Katwala said building confidence across different groups will be a priority, as economic pressures and tensions due to Middle East conflict have polarised communities in the UK.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pakistan court gives unusual punishment to Youtuber Rajab Butt for owning lion cub

Pakistani zookeeper Mohammad Amir holds the confiscated lion cub at Lahore’s safari zoo last Tuesday (28)

Pakistan court gives unusual punishment to Youtuber Rajab Butt for owning lion cub

A PAKISTANI YouTube star who was gifted a lion cub on his wedding day avoided jail after promising a judge to upload animal rights videos for a year.

Rajab Butt has one of the largest online followings in south Asia, and his week-long nuptials in December were plastered over celebrity gossip websites.

Keep ReadingShow less