One dose 82% effective in preventing death, 2 doses 95% effective: ICMR-NIE study

The study 'Covid-19 vaccine effectiveness in preventing deaths among high-risk groups in Tamil Nadu, India', was published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research on June 21.

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A single dose of Covid 19 vaccine is effective in preventing deaths, according to a new analysis by the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Epidemiology. (File photo)

A single dose of Covid 19 vaccine is effective in preventing deaths, according to a new analysis by the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR-NIE). Vaccine effectiveness in preventing Covid-19 deaths with one and two doses was 82 per cent and 95 per cent, respectively.

The study ‘Covid-19 vaccine effectiveness in preventing deaths among high-risk groups in Tamil Nadu, India’, was published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research on June 21. The Tamil Nadu police department has been documenting vaccination of its workforce (as aggregate numbers with 0, 1 and 2 vaccine doses), and Covid-19 deaths during the second wave, along with details of the date of hospitalisation and vaccination.

The data was used to estimate the incidence of deaths due to Covid-19 among vaccinated and unvaccinated police personnel, Dr Manoj Murhekar, director of ICMR-NIE, told The Indian Express.

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There are 117,524 police personnel working with the Department of Police in Tamil Nadu. Between February 1 and May 14, 32,792 personnel received one dose, 67,673 received two doses while 17,059 did not receive any vaccine dose.

Thirty-one Covid-19 deaths were reported among these police personnel between April 13, 2021 and May 14, 2021.

Of these 31 deceased, four had taken two doses of the vaccine, seven one dose and the remaining 20 were unvaccinated. The incidence of mortality among vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals was compared to calculate the relative risk of mortality associated with Covid-19 vaccination, researchers said.

The incidence of Covid-19 deaths among the vaccinated with zero, one and two doses was 1.17, 0.21 and 0.06 per 1,000 police personnel, respectively.

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Dr Murhekar said the results of their analyses are consistent with published studies showing effectiveness against severe disease.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a journalist with The Indian Express and is based in Pune. A senior editor, Anuradha writes on health, research developments in the field of science and environment and takes keen interest in covering women's issues. With a career spanning over 25 years, Anuradha has also led teams and often coordinated the edition. ... Read More

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