Pfizer’s Covid Vaccine Blocks This Much of Asymptomatic Infections

According to an Israeli study, Pfizer has announced that its COVID-19 vaccine blocked 94% of asymptomatic infections and 97% of symptomatic cases.

The company’s CEO Albert Bourla called the results “extremely important.”

The Israeli study measured results two weeks after the second dose. It found the vaccine was at least 97% effective against symptomatic Covid cases, hospitalizations and deaths, according to Pfizer, which developed the shot with BioNTech.

The analysis had used data collected between Jan. 17 and March 6. This was during the time when the more transmissible B.1.1.7 variant from the U.K. was the dominant strain.

“This is extremely important … for society,” Bourla said to CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”

“The asymptomatic carriers and patients are the ones spreading the disease mainly. We were expecting something good in terms of symptomatic,” he added. The company was not expecting such a “high number” against asymptomatic cases according to the CEO.

The Israeli study means the Pfizer vaccine could significantly reduce transmission.

“This clearly demonstrates the power of the COVID-19 vaccine to fight this virus and encourages us to continue even more intensively with our vaccination campaign,” Israel Ministry of Health Director Yeheskel Levy stated. “We aim to achieve even higher uptake in people of all ages, which gives us hope of regaining normal economic and social function in the not so distant future.”

It was back in January that Pfizer and the Israel Ministry of Health entered into a collaboration agreement to monitor the real-world impact of its vaccine.
Bourla has said that the company is assessing the impact a booster dose may have on the virus, particularly the B.1.351 strain in South Africa, which he said “seems to be the toughest one.”

“We have very good protection already with two doses,” he said.

Disclaimer: We have no position in any of the companies mentioned and have not been compensated for this article.