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Why a 90% Vaccine Efficacy Does Not Mean It’s The Best

This is something that all of us should be aware of.

Are you afraid of vaccine side effects? We understand, and we are on the same boat. 

However, if you are a healthy being with no health complications, this is something to take note of.

By now, vaccines have become one of the most talked-about words in our current pandemic (read: COVID-19) era. We often see discussions about them on both social and printed media as well as conversations among our families, friends and colleagues.

Many vaccines for COVID-19 have a publicised efficacy rate. As you may already know, this measures the effectiveness of it against the virus.

Or, did we perceive the “efficacy rate” wrong? Is there a big difference between a 90% and a 60% effective vaccine?

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How is a vaccine’s efficacy rate measured?

Medical News Today reports that the efficacy rates are based on the percentage reduction among the volunteered patients who received the vaccination under a controlled environment

To find out whether the COVID-19 vaccines work as well as safe for use, volunteers are split into 2 groups. 

Group 1 receives the actual vaccine while group 2 receives a placebo. All volunteers would not know if they’ve received the real thing.

After a period of time, both groups of volunteers report back and are determined by how effective the vaccine is based on how many with the actual vaccines are protected.

Below is the example taken from The New York Times.


So, why do some vaccines have a higher efficacy rate?

Basically, the two most renowned COVID vaccines - Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, scored a high efficacy rate of over 90%. Both efficacy rates were respectively calculated 7 and 14 days after the second doses.

Another renowned vaccine by Johnson & Johnson (J&J) scores a lower efficacy rate below 70%.

Scary, huh? Here’s the real truth.

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According to Vox, the numbers hardly justify the effectiveness of these vaccines. 

Instead, to really compare the numbers, you have to look at the timing of when the tests were done. 

Both Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna trials were done in the US between August and November 2020. This period was between summer and autumn which are warmer seasons that do not allow the virus to transmit easily.

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However, Johnson & Johnson’s US trial was done in the later months between October 2020 and January 2021. The colder (winter) weather means participants are weakened and more likely to be exposed to infections. 

If that’s not enough, J&J’s vaccine was also tested in other countries unlike the former two. 

The said vaccine was tested in Brazil and South Africa. Both countries have higher case rates and even different variants of the COVID-19 virus.


Should I be worried about which vaccine to use?

One thing to be assured of? Despite the differences in the “efficacy rates”, all the vaccines did not have any serious, hospitalisation or even death report cases. 

Those who were vaccinated but got infected only suffered from “cold-like” symptoms, which is normal as it means your immune system is learning how to fight off the virus.

Meanwhile, those that suffered complications, unfortunately, had a history of medical issues before COVID-19 appeared.

So, the next time you’re having doubts about being vaccinated, consider your medical history as well as your current living situation to determine the best option for yourself.

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Related COVID-19 Recommendations:

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