Blog

Over 330 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have already been administered. Yet, some people remain skeptical. Let’s take a look at the facts regarding safety and efficacy.

What Does Vaccine Efficacy Mean?

Vaccine efficacy describes how well a vaccine protects people from infection when they come into contact with the relevant pathogen. In clinical trials, two groups are usually observed: vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. The number of infections in both groups is then analyzed. Given the current spread of highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 variants, this assessment is particularly revealing.

For a vaccine with an assumed efficacy of 80%, this means that out of 100 vaccinated people, about 80 are less likely to get infected compared to unvaccinated individuals. However, even with vaccination, 20% of vaccinated people might still become infected.

But that doesn’t mean the vaccine provides no protection in such cases. Studies show that all approved vaccines effectively reduce severe disease. Even if a vaccinated person gets infected, the likelihood of a severe case is much lower. Therefore, it’s advisable to get vaccinated, regardless of which vaccine is administered. Waiting for a supposedly "better" vaccine makes no sense.

Distrust of Vaccines

The currently approved vaccines include those from AstraZeneca (a viral vector vaccine) and BioNTech/Pfizer (an mRNA-based vaccine). Some claim that deaths are linked to vaccination. However, there are no confirmed reports of deaths caused by these vaccines.

Initially, there was limited data on the efficacy of the AstraZeneca vaccine in older adults, leading to its administration being initially limited to younger people in some countries. As more information on its efficacy in older populations became available, vaccination recommendations were adjusted accordingly. These adjustments may have increased distrust among certain individuals, in my opinion.

The distrust toward the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine likely stems from a lack of understanding of mRNA technology, despite its being just as effective, safe, and efficient.

Then there’s the story from Denmark that has fueled suspicion for some. Data from Denmark show that among several million vaccinated individuals, 30 people developed thrombosis shortly after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine (AstraZeneca). Yes… 30 people out of several million—I’m not mistaken.

Let’s look at this objectively: Statistically, thousands of people suffer thrombosis, heart attacks, strokes, or receive cancer diagnoses daily, regardless of their vaccination status. A temporal link with the vaccine doesn’t necessarily imply a causal link. And even if in rare cases a thrombosis is caused by vaccination, the risk could easily be calculated.

Studies confirm the high safety and efficacy of vaccines. Occasional reactions to vaccines are simply pain at the injection site, temporary fever, headaches, and body aches. Given the protection they offer, these reactions are well worth tolerating, I believe.

Closing Words

If you have the opportunity to get vaccinated, be sure to take it. All approved vaccines are safe, thoroughly tested, and protect against severe cases. I’m already waiting for my vaccination appointment.