Washington, May 7: The two-dose regimen of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines reduced asymptomatic infection, finds a study. The study, led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital showed that vaccination reduced the risk of asymptomatic infections by 72 percent. Overall vaccinations reduced the risk of asymptomatic and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection by 79 percent in vaccinated people compared with the unvaccinated individuals. Pfizer Donates USD 70 Million Worth COVID-19 Treatment Drugs to India.

Protection was even greater for people who completed two doses. A week or more after receiving the second dose, vaccinated individuals were 96 per cent less likely than unvaccinated people to become infected with SARS-CoV-2. When researchers looked just at asymptomatic infections, vaccination reduced the risk by 90 per cent, according to a research letter that appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Likely to be Approved by US FDA For 12-15 Year Age Group Next Week.

"While further research is needed, by preventing infections, including in people who have no symptoms, there is a high possibility that vaccination will decrease transmission of SARS-CoV-2," said Diego Hijano, from the St. Jude Department of Infectious Diseases. The study involved 5,217 St. Jude employees who were eligible under Tennessee state guidelines for vaccination between December 17, 2020, and March 20, 2021.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 07, 2021 08:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).