Signs exist that a single dose of the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine offers good protection against Covid-19, according to official data on the UK’s vaccination campaign, in further validation of the government’s approach taken to extend the gap between jabs.
Although there is not enough evidence to draw definitive conclusions about the impact of the vaccination campaign on deaths and hospitalisations in the UK, several people with access to government data said there were indications it was reducing cases in the groups which have been prioritised to receive the jab.
The initial analysis will come as a boost to ministers after there were concerns that the government’s decision to extend the gap between first and second jabs of the vaccines from three to 12 weeks could weaken the recipients’ immune response.
The rationale behind the decision was to ensure the maximum number of people got their first shots in the initial wave of the programme from the available supply…