Reference:
Thomas, S. J., Moreira, E. D. Jr., Kitchin, N., Absalon, J., Gurtman, A., Lockhart, S., … & Jansen, K. U. (2021). Safety and efficacy of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 vaccine through 6 months. New England Journal of Medicine, 385(19), 1761-1773. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2110345
Summary:
The article investigates the safety and efficacy of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 vaccine over six months. In a placebo-controlled trial involving over 44,000 participants aged 12 and above, results showed a vaccine efficacy of 91.3% against laboratory-confirmed Covid-19, with a particularly high efficacy of 96.7% against severe disease. The vaccine was found to be safe, with few adverse events reported, and the safety profile remained stable throughout the study duration. Notably, efficacy was consistent across diverse demographics and regions, including in South Africa, where the beta variant was prevalent. Despite a gradual decline in efficacy over time, the results underscore the vaccine’s substantial protective benefits against Covid-19 and its acceptable safety profile, supporting its widespread use and conditional approvals worldwide.