A large study by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shown that people who were not fully vaccinated were over 10 times more likely to be hospitalized, 11 times more likely to die of COVID-19 than those who were fully vaccinated. The study, one of three published by the CDC Friday on the efficacy of Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, also indicated that Moderna vaccine is most effective. Moreover, the second CDC study suggested the Moderna coronavirus vaccine was moderately more effective in preventing hospitalizations than its counterparts from Pfizer-BioNTech and Johnson & Johnson. It noted that while the three vaccines were collectively 86 percent effective in preventing hospitalization, the protection was significantly higher among Moderna vaccine recipients (95 percent) than those who got Pfizer-BioNTech (80 percent) or Johnson & Johnson (60 percent). Furthermore, the third CDC study showed that the vaccines endured some erosion as the delta variant became dominant, especially among adults who are 65 years and older but protection against severe disease and death remained strong, albeit less so in that group. Meanwhile, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky at the White House COVID-19 briefing on Friday said, "Vaccination works and will protect us from the severe complications of COVID-19." "The bottom line is this: We have the scientific tools we need to turn the corner on this pandemic," he added. The trio of reports comes as US President Joe Biden announced sweeping coronavirus vaccine mandates on Thursday to curb the surging delta variant, which expected to increase pressure on tens of millions of Americans who have resisted vaccinations. — Agencies
