mRNA Vaccines Protect Against COVID-19 Mortality, Contrary to Misleading Posts
SciCheck Digest
Numerous studies have shown the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective in preventing severe disease and death from COVID-19. But some social media posts are citing a criticized study that focuses on overall mortality to falsely imply the vaccines are harmful and don’t work.
All of the authorized and approved vaccines are effective at preventing severe COVID-19.
Against earlier forms of the coronavirus, the vaccines were highly effective at preventing symptomatic illness. For example, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which was the first COVID-19 vaccine to receive full approval from the Food and Drug Administration, showed a final efficacy of 91% against symptomatic illness in its phase 3 trial, meaning that under the conditions of the trial the vaccine reduced the risk of getting sick by 91%.
The Moderna vaccine showed similar results in its clinical trial, with a final efficacy of 93%. It has also received FDA approval.
Johnson & Johnson, which partly tested its vaccine in South Africa when the beta variant emerged, reported an efficacy of 66% in preventing moderate to severe COVID-19 and an efficacy of 85% in preventing severe or critical COVID-19 in its clinical trial.
The Novavax vaccine, which was authorized in July 2022, had a 90.4% efficacy in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in adults, prior to the emergence of the omicron variant.
Subsequent studies have demonstrated that the vaccines are effective under real-world conditions, including against the highly contagious delta variant. Against omicron, however, the vaccines haven’t
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