Information regarding Covid-19 vaccine: FOI release

Information requested

1. Could the Scottish Government please provide evidence that the covid-19 vaccine/vaccines reduce infectiousness/transmissibility.

2. If the Scottish Government cannot provide the above, could they provide a justification as to any attempt to implement a 'passport' system, considering lack of evidence confirming any form of correlation between vaccination and lower infectiousness/transmissibility.

Response

A study published by PHE on 9 July 2021 found that COVID-19 vaccines currently in use in the UK are highly effective in protecting most people in clinical risk groups. The study, which included more than 1 million people in at-risk groups, found the vaccines to be as effective at preventing symptomatic disease in the majority of people with underlying health conditions as the rest of the population. Vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease in risk groups was approximately 60% after one dose of either AstraZeneca or Pfizer-BioNTech, with little variation by age. After 2 doses, vaccine effectiveness was 81% with AstraZeneca in people in risk groups aged 16 to 64. No data is available for Pfizer- BioNTech. For people in risk groups aged 65 and over, vaccine effectiveness with Pfizer-BioNTech was 89% and 80% with AstraZeneca. For those who are immunosuppressed, vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease was lower in this group after 1 dose, but after a second dose was 74%, with similar protection to those who are not in a risk group. It is vital that anyone with an underlying condition gets both doses of the vaccine, especially people with weakened immune systems.

A link is provided to the study for you COVID-19 vaccines highly effective in most people in clinical risk groups - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Since evidence is provided to 1. above then 2. is not applicable based on your request.

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