In the government’s first assessment of how the shots have been working beyond Pfizer and Moderna’s initial experiments, the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are about 90% effective at preventing COVID-19 disease, especially severe illness and death.
100% Efficacy in Vaccine Trial for Adolescents
Results from Pfizer/BioNTech’s Covid-19 clinical trial in 12 to 15 year olds demonstrated 100% efficacy and robust antibody responses, exceeding those reported in trial of vaccinated 16-25 year old participants in an earlier analysis. The companies hope to gain FDA approval to administer the vaccine to 12-15 age group by the fall of 2021.
Vaccines Open to Ages 16+ in Arizona
On March 24, the Arizona Department of Health Services opened vaccinations to Arizonans age 16 and older for the Pfizer vaccine and age 18 and older for the Moderna vaccine. Click Here to register for your COVID-19 vaccination in your area with the Arizona Department of Health Services.
In 3 months, Arizona has seen a decrease in daily Covid cases from 13,763 (reported Jan. 8) to 586 (reported March 31, 2021).
If I’ve been vaccinated, what precautions should I continue taking in public?
You still can pass the virus to others, even if you are fully vaccinated. Many more people need to be vaccinated before we achieve sufficient community immunity. To keep others safe and reduce the overall spread of the virus, you can do your part by wearing a well-fitted mask in public spaces, maintaining physical distance, washing hands frequently, and avoiding large crowds. Read CDC Guidelines for the Vaccinated
If I’ve already recovered from COVID-19, should I get vaccinated?
Yes, you should be vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19. That’s because experts do not yet know how long you are protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19.
Learn why getting vaccinated is a safer way to build protection than getting infected.
To keep others safe and reduce the overall spread of the virus, you can do your part by wearing a well-fitted mask in public spaces, maintaining physical distance, washing hands frequently, and avoiding large crowds.
Variants Detected in Arizona
On March 26, the Arizona Department of Health Services reported that the South African COVID-19 variant has been detected in two samples. On March 29, the Navajo Nation announced that the first case of the B.1.1.7 (UK) variant was detected in an individual who had received the Covid-19 vaccine last February.
Researchers have found that the B117 variant is 35%-45% more transmissible in the US. So far, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines appear to provide some (but not 100%) antibody protection against the B.1.1.7 variant.
What You Should Know About the New COVID Variants
Still Learning About Vaccines, Variants and Effectiveness
In their new guidelines for the vaccinated, CDC cautions that we are still learning several things about vaccination and the virus:
- How effective the vaccines are against variants of the virus that causes COVID-19. Early data show the vaccines may work against some variants but could be less effective against others.
- How well COVID-19 vaccines keep people from spreading the disease.
- How long COVID-19 vaccines can protect people.
COVID-19 is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation. Get the latest public health information from CDC: https://www.coronavirus.gov
