Unadjusted vaccine effectiveness against infection is negative against Omicron for the triple-jabbed over-30s, new UKHSA data show, meaning infection rates per 100,000 are higher in the triple vaccinated.
The UKHSA vaccine report this week shows a striking drop in effectiveness against hospitalisation and a further fall against infection during the Omicron surge. What's going on?
Omicron bites hard in the UKHSA vaccine report this week as unadjusted vaccine effectiveness against infection (calculated from the raw data) plummets across all age groups, hitting a new low of minus-151%.
Professor Andrew Pollard, the head of Britain's vaccine body, has said fourth jabs should not be offered until there is more evidence as he warned that giving a new dose to people every six months was “not sustainable”.
The United Arab Emirates has announced a ban on citizens who have not had three doses of a Covid vaccine from travelling abroad. Medical exemptions will apply but there is no option of a negative test.
Analysing data gathered by the U.K. Health Security Agency relating to the effectiveness of the Pfizer and Moderna booster jabs, some Australian medical experts say three booster jabs may be needed per year.
The latest UKHSA data shows a sharp drop in unadjusted vaccine effectiveness in 18-29 year-olds, down to minus-75% in the month ending December 19th, from minus-10% the previous week.
The Prime Minister has echoed the Archbishop of Canterbury in stating that members of the public must get the booster jab if they are to uphold the Christian principle of 'love thy neighbour'.
Trent Twomey, a leading Australian pharmacist, has said that mask wearing and booster jab rollouts will continue for many years, which the public just "need to accept".
Mixed news on vaccines from the UKHSA this week. Unadjusted VE is still negative for 18-70 year-olds. But boosters appear to be helping. On the other hand, this only shows how poorly two doses were performing.
