4 ms·

The AZ vaccine is more effective than the BioNTech one? That's extremely interesting.

ageitgey 6y ago
I wouldn't read too much into that small difference. This study wasn't really designed to show which one works better. The bigger takeaway is that both show significant protection even with just one dose (which presumably rises after the second dose).
- sgt101 6y ago
  Agree. I can't find the right information but I suspect that the headline figures from the different vaccine trials may be generated by somewhat different counting methodologies. I think that some of the trials counted from day 1 of the vaccination, and some of them from day 15 - but I am hoping that someone has the actual information!
  - turbonaut 6y ago
    The vaccines have also been delivered in slightly different contexts that may relate to risk of hospitalisation. Pfizer, for example, often administered in hospitals due to the freezer requirement. You could imagine the risk of hospitalisation of an 80 year old who frequents hospitals and one who doesn’t is different.
    - sgt101 6y ago
      That's an excellent observation - very challenging to fish that out of the numbers.
solarkraft 6y ago
With my very little biology knowledge I could imagine it being linked to the much stronger reaction many people seem to have to the AZ vs. the BioNTech one, resulting in more solid immunity.
Exmoor 6y ago
Edit: I'm an idiot who was trying to do too many things at once and misread. Removing my incorrect commentary on 95% CI numbers. I'll leave the excerpt from the study since that's useful info. >Findings: The first dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine was associated with a vaccine effect of 85% (95% confidence interval [CI] 76 to 91) for COVID-19 related hospitalisation at 28-34 days post-vaccination. Vaccine effect at the same time interval for the ChAdOx1 vaccine was 94% (95% CI 73 to 99). Results of combined vaccine effect for prevention of COVID-19 related hospitalisation were comparable when restricting the analysis to those aged ≥80 years (81%; 95% CI 65 to 90 at 28-34 days post-vaccination).` [0] https://www.ed.ac.uk/files/atoms/files/scotland_firstvaccinedata_preprint.pdf https://www.ed.ac.uk/files/atoms/files/scotland_firstvaccine...
- mcguire 6y ago
  "85% (95% confidence interval [CI] 76 to 91) ... 94% (95% CI 73 to 99)" Those aren't overlapping?
  - Exmoor 6y ago
    :facepalm: Wow. Trying to do too many things at once this morning and totally misread the numbers. Edited my original post. Thanks for catching.
checker659 6y ago
AZ had 100% efficacy against severe disease in their 3rd phase interim readout. 0 hospitalization in vaccinated arm, 8 hospitalizations 1 severe and 1 death in the control arm. In contrast, with pfizer, there were 0 covid deaths in the entire trial (vaccinated or unvaccinated).
zeku 6y ago
I could be wrong, but I think that's after just one dose. The pfizer vax requires 2 doses for it's full effect.

I wouldn't read too much into that small difference. This study wasn't really designed to show which one works better. The bigger takeaway is that both show significant protection even with just one dose (which presumably rises after the second dose).

sgt101 6y ago
Agree. I can't find the right information but I suspect that the headline figures from the different vaccine trials may be generated by somewhat different counting methodologies. I think that some of the trials counted from day 1 of the vaccination, and some of them from day 15 - but I am hoping that someone has the actual information!
- turbonaut 6y ago
  The vaccines have also been delivered in slightly different contexts that may relate to risk of hospitalisation. Pfizer, for example, often administered in hospitals due to the freezer requirement. You could imagine the risk of hospitalisation of an 80 year old who frequents hospitals and one who doesn’t is different.
  - sgt101 6y ago
    That's an excellent observation - very challenging to fish that out of the numbers.

solarkraft 6y ago

With my very little biology knowledge I could imagine it being linked to the much stronger reaction many people seem to have to the AZ vs. the BioNTech one, resulting in more solid immunity.

Exmoor 6y ago

Edit: I'm an idiot who was trying to do too many things at once and misread. Removing my incorrect commentary on 95% CI numbers. I'll leave the excerpt from the study since that's useful info. >Findings: The first dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine was associated with a vaccine effect of 85% (95% confidence interval [CI] 76 to 91) for COVID-19 related hospitalisation at 28-34 days post-vaccination. Vaccine effect at the same time interval for the ChAdOx1 vaccine was 94% (95% CI 73 to 99). Results of combined vaccine effect for prevention of COVID-19 related hospitalisation were comparable when restricting the analysis to those aged ≥80 years (81%; 95% CI 65 to 90 at 28-34 days post-vaccination).` [0] https://www.ed.ac.uk/files/atoms/files/scotland_firstvaccinedata_preprint.pdf https://www.ed.ac.uk/files/atoms/files/scotland_firstvaccine...

mcguire 6y ago
"85% (95% confidence interval [CI] 76 to 91) ... 94% (95% CI 73 to 99)" Those aren't overlapping?
- Exmoor 6y ago
  :facepalm: Wow. Trying to do too many things at once this morning and totally misread the numbers. Edited my original post. Thanks for catching.

checker659 6y ago

AZ had 100% efficacy against severe disease in their 3rd phase interim readout. 0 hospitalization in vaccinated arm, 8 hospitalizations 1 severe and 1 death in the control arm. In contrast, with pfizer, there were 0 covid deaths in the entire trial (vaccinated or unvaccinated).

zeku 6y ago

I could be wrong, but I think that's after just one dose. The pfizer vax requires 2 doses for it's full effect.