New Delhi: British-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca on Monday announced that its vaccine against the deadly coronavirus was 90% effective in preventing the deadly coronavirus and no hospitalisations or severe cases of the disease were reported in participants receiving the vaccine. Notably, the interim analysis was based on 131 infections among participants who received the vaccine and those in a control group who were given an established menengitis shot.

Issuing a statement, Pascal Soriot, Astra’s chief executive said that this vaccine’s efficacy and safety confirm that it will be highly effective against COVID-19 and will have an immediate impact on this public health emergency.

He asserted, “The vaccine’s simple supply chain and our no-profit pledge and commitment to broad, equitable and timely access means it will be affordable and globally available, supplying hundreds of millions of doses on approval.”

One dosing regimen showed vaccine efficacy of 90 per cent when AZD1222 was given as a half dose, followed by a full dose at least one month apart, and another dosing regimen showed 62 per cent efficacy when given as two full doses at least one month apart. The combined analysis from both dosing regimens resulted in an average efficacy of 70 per cent.