Estimated effectiveness 63 percent for period from more than 14 days after the first dose through seven days after the second dose<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
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TUESDAY, March 16, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Partial vaccination with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is estimated to be 63 percent effective for preventing new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections among residents from skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), according to research published in the March 15 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report<\/em><\/em>.<\/p>\n Amadea Britton, M.D., from the CDC COVID-19 Emergency Response Team, and colleagues describe two SNFs experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks among residents and staff members after administration of the first Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at each facility. Information was obtained on resident vaccination status and infection with SARS-CoV-2.<\/p>\n A total of 463 residents were enrolled: 142 and 321 from facilities A and B, respectively. During the investigation period, there were 97 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection: 40 and 57 at facilities A and B, respectively. The researchers found that the estimated effectiveness was 63 percent against SARS-CoV-2 infection (regardless of symptoms) for partial vaccination, defined as the period from more than 14 days after the first dose through seven days after the second dose.<\/p>\n “These results, coupled with the findings from a previous study among comparable older adult populations in Israel that reported more robust protection after the second dose, suggest that complete two-dose vaccination is an important strategy for preventing COVID-19 in this disproportionately affected population,” the authors write.<\/p>\n