Pfizer/BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine offers more protection than earlier thought with effectiveness in preventing symptomatic disease reaching 97 percent, according to real-world evidence published Thursday by the pharmaceutical companies.
Using data from January 17 to March 6 from Israel's national vaccination campaign, Pfizer/BioNTech found that prevention against asymptomatic disease also reached 94 percent.
An earlier real-world study using data from between December 20, 2020 and February 1, 2021 had showed effectiveness at preventing symptomatic disease at 94 percent and asymptomatic illness at 92 percent.
Israel's inoculation campaign is the fastest in the world, with about 40 percent of the population already fully vaccinated against the virus.
Israel, which launched its vaccination campaign in December, has given the recommended two jabs of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to just under four million of its roughly nine million people.
