AstraZeneca-Pfizer Combo 6 Times More Efficient Than 2 AstraZeneca Shots - Study

SEOUL (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th July, 2021) South Korean health authorities said on Tuesday that taking a shot of AstraZeneca vaccine followed by a Pfizer-BioNTech shot is six times more efficient than receiving two Astra-Zeneca doses.

In South Korea, 880,000 people received a mixed AstraZeneca-Pfizer vaccine. After local health bodies raised the age restriction for AstraZeneca vaccine to 50 years amid concerns about its side effects, those aged under 50, who had already received a first shot, had to complete vaccination with another vaccine.

Some 1.6 million people are set to receive a vaccine combo.

Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency conducted a study to assess antibody efficacy of a mixed AstraZeneca-Pfizer vaccine.

The research revealed that a combined vaccine produces similar levels of antibodies as two Pfizer shots and six times higher than two AstraZeneca doses.

"A mixed vaccine is more efficient against four key COVID-19 variants, with no severe symptoms detected in vaccinated people, only side effect," Kwon Junwook, Central Disease Control Headquarters deputy director-general, stated as aired by the national MBC broadcaster.

A combined vaccine provides 4.3 times stronger immunity response to the Delta COVID-19 strain than two AstraZeneca shots and 2.8 times stronger than two Pfizer doses.