So from my (admittedly basic) understanding it's looking very hopeful the AZ vaccine DOES reduce transmission

[StealthPolarBear]

And I expect if it does, so do the others. By approx 67% is the figure I've seen.
I'm amazed this doesn't seem to be being shared more widely (and makes me worry I've misinyerpreted). This is what we've all been waiting for. Yes it's not certain but surely it's unlikely they've got it so wrong, and even if it's only half that, that's still a huge break in the transmissions.

It's not being reported because it doesn't fit the media's doom and gloom narrative, which I strongly suspect it designed to maintain compliance.

Instead we've had constant speculation mutations that may or may not affect the vaccines.

There was also new research today showing that one dose of the Oxford vaccine prevents 100% of hospitalisations after 21 days. Surely this is absolutely key- but I've barely seen a mention in the media.

I'm amazed this doesn't seem to be being shared more widely

I would guess it's not being over publicised as people will then think "great I've had my vaccine.. I don't need to wear a mask, social distance and I can now go hug grandma Mary".

I mean of course some people will think & do those things post vaccine regardless of what the data says, but why emphasise it?

Though on the flip side.. maybe it would increase people getting the vaccine if they knew they would be cutting transmission.

Yes I had heard that too - although I think that was from the trial (what I heard anyway) which was on younger people.
I have been saying on all the threads that lack of evidence for reduced transmission did not mean it was likely there was no impact on transmission. All the experts were saying it almost certainly would reduce transmission. Yet people didn't want to hear it.

Ah yes excellent points, both of them. But surely it might also increase compliance as it suggests an end is in sight? I'm certainly feeling a lot more positive and therefore a lot more able to carry on as I am, knowing the end seems to be in sight.

The transmission reduction is good news.

We are entering a dangerous phase - but we also have a real prospect of getting out the other side.

We just need people not to be stupid tossers for a little while longer. Patience is a virtue...

Reported in the news this morning. I do wonder why it doesn't warrant a bbc breaking alert.

My feeling is they want to both a) counter the news that Germany, Poland, Sweden won't use AZ for the over-65s, whilst also b) not encouraging those who have been vaccinated to start assuming they can go back to normal.

I am getting very concerned the government is being nationalistic about vaccines. They wanted to put a Union flag on the vials FFS!

If the government gets too closely linked with the AZ vaccine they will taint it by association and make people more suspicious. The Tories need to wind their necks in and let the scientists and medics do the talking on vaccines.

I don't want a British vaccine. I want an excellent vaccine.

The transmission reduction is excellent news. They’ve based it off the number of people testing positive, so should also apply to the other vaccines with even higher efficacy. It will be great to see the real live experiment of Israel soon, once all its adults are vaccinated.

On hospitalisation, that it also fantastic as it reduces the severity of disease in those who do test positive. The ‘100%’ figure is based on a very small sample - not many were hospitalised in the control group and the vaccinated sample was almost all younger adults who are less likely to be hospitalised. So while good news, it may not correspond to care home residents. Fingers crossed it does though.

It is being reported more now. Andrew Pollard speaking on it this morning.

It’s very good news but he did still talk about threat of new variants.

I suspect it’s also because this is still not peer reviewed - so it’s very positive news but still not certain and hasn’t been tested against any of the new mutations.

We also have some initial signs from Israel from within the real life scenario which is also very positive and are gathering data in the U.K. as well. There was just a long item on it on Radio 4 so it is being reported. I agree it seems very likely if this applies to AZ there would be a similar result for other vaccines.

We are at a particularly challenging point though as still haven’t vaccinated the under 70s who have a higher risk of hospitalisation and many still of working age plus the overall % vaccinated whilst really impressive is still a small %. So if the vaccinated ( or actually others who think that the vulnerable are now vaccinated so it’s Ok) ignore restrictions infections could rise again very quickly ( with the associated rise in possibility for further mutations and stress on hospital capacity). So maybe some is also a messaging issue.

I also think if it is confirmed with later days the Janssen data re prevention of severe disease which is on a more diverse cohort is encouraging for AZ as similar vaccines

Probably because it hasn't been peer reviewed, they made a point of saying that.

So it's not "official" until that's done.

yep, definitely 100% reduces transmission: sample size 1 no idea of the variant...

Does anyone know if the Pfizer vaccine has any reduction in transmission?

@ihatethecold

Does anyone know if the Pfizer vaccine has any reduction in transmission?

I don’t think there’s data on that yet. The Pfizer trials only counted symptomatic cases, whereas the Oxford trials swabbed participants weekly, so they were picking up asymptomatic cases as well.

I’ve been wondering whether the same (or similar) reduction applies to people with naturally acquired immunity, i.e. who have had Covid. Vaccines work by stimulating the immune system, I don’t see why a naturally-stimulate immune system should behave differently.

@BentBastard

Probably because it hasn't been peer reviewed, they made a point of saying that.

So it's not "official" until that's done.

But we're talking about BBC and Sky, not the Lancet.

They certainly don't wait for peer review when rushing to report the latest super deadly mutant strain story!

And BBC have reported it. It's not "breaking news" because it's not official.

@BentBastard

Probably because it hasn't been peer reviewed, they made a point of saying that.

So it's not "official" until that's done.

Bullshit. The media pounce on the bad news stories, peer reviewed or not. Like the "new variant may be 30% more deadly" - it was even in the prime minister's briefing FGS, despite not being peer reviewed or published yet. Same with all this rot about the "new variants" which may or may not be more transmissible, more deadly whatever which the media can't wait to tell us even though there is no proper data.

The media ARE reporting it!

They have been since the first news report I heard this morning since 6:54. They are simply adding the proviso that it has not been peer reviewed.

Honestly, why are people so weirdly cross about it??

It has been leading news today

I think people are generally optimistic that all vaccines will reduce transmission to some extent. And that while new variants MAY make them less effective, it's unlikely they'll be ineffective iyswim.

It's not being reported because it doesn't fit the media's doom and gloom narrative, which I strongly suspect it designed to maintain compliance.

Not being reported? It was the front page lead story in at least 2 national newspapers (Times and Telegraph) and was the lead story on both Sky and BBC news this morning.

I'm just mildly curious why it didn't warrant a bbc breaking alert. Other breaking alerts have included Johnson clapping tonight.

I don't know where some of you get your news, but I found out first thing this morning, via the BBC. It's hardly a news blackout on good news, is it.