COVID-19 Vaccines Q&A Part 1 here , part 2 here
Question 4
The vaccines are being administered in many other countries. Is there any evidence that they are working? Will the restrictions ever be lifted ?
Answer:
Yes there is evidence that the vaccines are working. Israel is currently recognized as the country to have vaccinated the highest percentage of its population against COVID. They have done about 50%. They are followed by the United Kingdom which is inching close to about 30%.
Israel has already reported a drop in transmission and hospitalization rate of about 90% and has started to lift restrictions. Shops and restaurants started opening this week . They have also confirmed the >95% efficacy of the pfeizer vaccines which they used.
The UK is reporting an 85% drop in risk of hospitalization following vaccination and follow up of more than 1 million people. The prime minister based on this trend and data has already released a timetable for lifting of restrictions and return to normalcy. 21st June has been set as “full COVID Independence Day”.
Attached are case-time graphs to demonstrate the drop in the number of cases being reported after vaccination.
NB that vaccine effect takes some weeks to set in.
References for further understanding:
1. https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/severe-covid-cases-in-israel/104729/