UK PM Johnson says: We're confident our vaccines prevent deaths

LONDON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris
Johnson said on Monday that he was confident that both the
AstraZeneca and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines helped prevent death
and grave illness, and that medicine was slowly gaining the
upper hand over the novel coronavirus.

"We think that both the vaccines that we're currently using
are effective in, as I say, in stopping serious disease and
death," Johnson told reporters.

"We also think in particular in the case of the Oxford
AstraZeneca vaccine that there's good evidence that it is
stopping transmission, as well, I think 67% reduction in
transmission."

"They remain a massive benefit to our country and the
population," he said when asked about AstraZeneca's vaccine.

"I've no doubt that vaccines generally are going to offer a
way out. And with every day that goes by, you can see that
medicine is slowly getting the upper hand over the disease."
(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Kate Holton; editing by
Michael Holden)