Italian Researchers: "One Dose of AZ Vaccine Effective... 95% Reduction in Fatality Rate"

Analysis of 37,000 Vaccinated Individuals
Infection Rate Down 95% · Severe Cases Down 99%

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] A study confirming the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine has been released in Italy.

On the 14th (local time), according to Italian local media such as the daily La Repubblica, the University of Ferrara in Italy announced that the number of confirmed cases in the vaccinated group was 95% lower, and the number of severe patients was 99% lower compared to the unvaccinated control group. This study surveyed 37,000 residents who received the vaccine in collaboration with the health authorities of the Pescara region in the central Abruzzo region from January 2 this year to the 24th of last month.

This is the first relatively large-scale verification of vaccine efficacy in Italy. Lamberto Manzoli, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Ferrara who participated in the research team, emphasized, "The AstraZeneca vaccine showed effectiveness with just one dose, and the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which were supplied later, also proved their ability to prevent infection and severe cases," adding, "There is no doubt about the vaccine's effectiveness."

This numerically proves that, similar to the UK and Israel, vaccines have played a significant role in blocking the spread of COVID-19. During the period, only one person, a 95-year-old woman, died after vaccination. It is known that she was already suffering from a serious illness before receiving the vaccine.

In the case of the AZ vaccine, analysis data also shows that the fatality rate decreased by 95% with just one dose. Professor Manzoli stated, "Considering that Abruzzo was the region where the UK variant virus was most prevalent in Italy, it can be inferred that the three vaccines are very effective against the UK variant as well."

He also expressed confidence that herd immunity through vaccination is possible. He predicted, "In summer, seasonal effects may weaken the virus's strength," and "From September, the number of confirmed cases and deaths will significantly decrease."

Since Italy launched its vaccination campaign on December 27 last year, as of the 14th, about 18.416 million people have received at least one dose of the vaccine. This is about 30% of the total population (approximately 60 million). The number of people who have completed the second dose is about 8.282 million, accounting for 13.8% of the total population.

As of this day, Italy reported 7,567 new daily confirmed COVID-19 cases and 182 deaths. The cumulative totals are 4,146,722 confirmed cases and 123,927 deaths, respectively. The positivity rate is 2.5%, showing a downward stabilization trend.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.