KUALA LUMPUR – Covid-19 vaccinations in Malaysia have an efficacy rate of between 86% and 90% in preventing infections, according to a study by the Health Ministry involving 1.2 million people.
The ministry’s Real-World Evaluation of Covid-19 Vaccines under the Malaysia National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (Recovam) study also found that vaccines administered in the country have up to 88% effectiveness in preventing symptomatic infections.
Dr Kalaiarasu M. Peariasamy of the National Institute of Clinical Research (ICR) said those who are partially vaccinated have up to a 53% chance of not contracting the virus, and between 33% and 37% chance of developing symptoms if they did.
On admissions to the intensive care unit (ICU), the rates varied according to vaccine brands.
Those fully vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine had between a 91% and 99% chance of not being admitted to ICUs, and 60% to 68% if they received only one dose.
For Pfizer-BioNTech recipients, their chances of entering ICUs were reduced by between 91% and 94%, and those partially immunised with this brand had up to 38% and 45% chance of admission.
For the Chinese-made Sinovac jabs, he said recipients have between a 75% and 79% chance of not becoming ICU cases upon full vaccination, but only 24% to 31% if they received only one dose.
In short, AstraZeneca was 96% effective in preventing ICU cases, followed by Pfizer (92%) and Sinovac (77%), he said.
Dr Kalaiarasu said this during a virtual media session on vaccine efficacy and adolescent vaccination this afternoon.
The study was carried out by both the ICR and the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF), he said.
On prevention of death, the effectiveness rate was up to 88% for the fully vaccinated, between 92% and 98% for AstraZeneca recipients, 92% and 94% for Pfizer, and between 83% and 85% for Sinovac.
However, the chances of death prevention were reduced by between 47% and 51% for those who received one dose of any vaccine.
One dose recipients of AstraZeneca had between a 68% and 74% chance of not dying from Covid-19, followed by Pfizer (45% and 51%) and Sinovac (37% and 42%).
“So, the message here is clear: those who are fully vaccinated greatly reduce their chances of death and even of developing mild or severe cases of Covid-19. This is why people should get vaccinated.”
Dr Kalaiarasu said although the rates vary among AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Sinovac, the number and backgrounds of vaccine recipients differ as well.
Nevertheless, he suggested that all three vaccine brands widely used in the country’s immunisation programme are highly effective in preventing infections, severe cases and deaths altogether. – The Vibes, September 23, 2021
