Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine more effective against Delta variant than Pfizer, J&J, reveals study

Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine is substantially more efficacious against the Delta strain of the SARS-CoV2 virus than Johnson & Johnson (J&J) or Pfizer, reveals a new study.

Published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the study indicates that Moderna was 95% effective at preventing hospitalisation among adults aged 18 years and older, while Pfizer was 80% effective and J&J was 60% effective.

Also Read: Pfizer, Moderna's Covid-19 vaccines set to achieve new sales milestone

"These real-world data show that vaccines remain highly effective at reducing COVID-19 related hospitalisation and emergency department visits, even in the presence of the new COVID-19 variant," said researcher Shaun Grannis from Indiana University in the US, the IANS reported.

"We strongly recommend vaccinations for all who are eligible to reduce serious illness and ease the burden on our healthcare system," Grannis further noted.

In order to conduct the study, the team examined over 32,000 medical encounters from nine states during June, July and August 2021, when the Delta became the dominant strain. 

Also Read: Moderna working on single-dose booster shot for COVID-19, flu

The findings revealed that unvaccinated individuals with COVID-19 are 5-7 times more likely to need hospitalisation or emergency department care, akin to the overall effectiveness before the variant.

The study also found that vaccine efficacy is lower for people 75 years and older, which has not been demonstrated in previous research. This could be because of several factors, comprising the increased time since vaccination, the scientists stated.