COVID-19: good and not so good results for AstraZeneca

New data from Public Health England (PHE) have demonstrated that COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca offers high levels of protection against the Delta variant (B.1.617.2; formerly the ‘Indian’ variant).

The vaccine, from Anglo-Swedish drug major AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN), is now trade-marketed Vaxzevria.

Real world data from PHE, published as a  pre-print, demonstrated two doses of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca are 92% effective against hospitalization due to the Delta variant and showed no deaths among those vaccinated. The vaccine also showed a high level of effectiveness against the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7; formerly the ‘Kent’ variant) with an 86% reduction of hospitalisations and no deaths reported.