Bit disappointing that the AZ jab is only 60% efficient against the new strain, after two doses. Pfizer does better at 88% but both are far weaker after only one dose, it seems, at around 33%. Still feels like there's a lot of uncertainty about how this will all pan out over the summer, even though BoJo the Clown is determined that all social dostancing measures can be dropped in a few weeks.
I wouldn’t worry just yet. These vaccines are actually much more effective in general than the flu jab, etc as it is IIRC.
We also has much lower effectiveness stats to start with, and they went up and up over time as we had more data, didn’t we?
There’s also a caveat in the stats for this variant currently in that Pfizer was given to a lot more frontline workers due to the logistics, whereas AZ was used for a lot of the elderly and vulnerable population - and naturally it’s going to be more effective in a non-vulnerable individual as their immune system is more up to the task.
Realistically cases aren’t going to go down right now because we’ve barely vaccinated the groups that actually spread it - shop staff, kids, younger office workers, etc. And of course surge testing in areas where it’s present will result in a bias in the case numbers. But deaths are through the floor and we have I believe under 1000 hospitalised right now… so honestly I’m not seeing a huge amount to worry about just yet.