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(Adds context and expert comment)
By Kate Kelland
LONDON, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Scotland's vaccination drive
appears to be markedly reducing the risk of hospitalisation for
COVID-19, suggesting that both the Pfizer-BioNTech and
Oxford-AstraZeneca shots are highly effective in preventing
severe infections, preliminary study findings showed on Monday.
Results of the study covering the entire Scottish population
of 5.4 million showed that by the fourth week after the initial
dose, the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines cut
the risk of hospitalisation by up to 85% and 94% respectively.
"These results are very encouraging and have given us great
reasons to be optimistic for the future," said Aziz Sheikh, a
professor at the University of Edinburgh who co-led the study.
Sheikh cautioned that the results are preliminary and have
yet to be peer-reviewed by independent scientists, but told a
media briefing: "I am very encouraged. We now have national
evidence ... that vaccination provides protection against
COVID-19 hospitalisations."
He expected other countries using the same vaccines and
similar roll-out strategies - such as England and Wales - would
see a similar positive impact in reducing numbers being
hospitalised.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will on Monday announce how he
will ease lockdown restrictions as cases decline, aided by one
of the world's fastest vaccine roll-outs.
Independent experts welcomed the Scottish findings.
"The primary aim of all vaccination campaigns is to stop
people getting seriously ill and save lives," said Arne Akbar,
president of the British Society for Immunology. "This initial
data ... is extremely promising."
Data was gathered between Dec. 8 and Feb. 15, when 1.14
million vaccines were administered and 21% of Scotland's
population had received a first dose.
Among those aged 80 and over - one of the highest risk
groups - vaccination was associated with an 81% reduction in
hospitalisation risk in the fourth week, when results for both
vaccines were combined.
(Reporting by Kate Kelland, editing by Mark Heinrich and Giles
Elgood)
