Covid-19 vaccines protected over 95% of healthcare workers: Apollo study

A post-vaccination study by Apollo Hospitals has shown that Covid-19 vaccines protected more than 95% of healthcare workers, while post-vaccination infections (PVI) occurred in only 4.28% with no incidence of severe infection and no deaths.

Apollo Hospitals on Wednesday released the results of a multi-centre study of healthcare workers across India to evaluate the incidence of post-vaccination infections (PVIs). The study that took place over four and a half months, from January 16 to May 30, 2021, and covered 31,621 healthcare workers (HCWs), from 43 units of the Apollo Hospitals group across 24 cities in the country, who had received either both doses or the first dose only of the Covishield and Covaxin Covid vaccines.

Prathap C Reddy, founder chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “This study reiterates the fact that our mainstay against Covid-19 is mass vaccination. Vaccines are not only safe, but they also help prevent severe manifestations of Covid-19 and will help save lives. We should aim, vaccinate 5 million Indians per day consistently. The main conclusions from the study are that post-vaccination infections are usually minor and vaccination helps to prevent severe infection, ICU admissions, and death.”

The results showed that Covid vaccines provided protection in more than 95% of the recipients and that post-vaccination infection (PVI) occurred in only 4.28% (1355 / 31621) of the vaccinated healthcare workers. The finding also showed only 90 cases or 0.28% (90 / 31621) of cases required hospitalisation, with only three cases 0.009% (3/31621) requiring ICU admission. The most important finding of the study was that there were no deaths in case of Covid infection after vaccination.

Dr K Hariprasad, president, hospitals division, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “This is one of the largest cohorts of vaccinated healthcare workers (HCWs) analysed in the country, so far. The HCWs covered various categories including doctors, nursing, paramedical as well as support and administrative staff.”

Covishield was administered to 28,918 HCWs (91.45%), while 2703 (8.55%) received Covaxin. 25,907 or 81.9% HCWs were fully vaccinated, having received both doses of the vaccine, while 5,714 or 18.1% had received only the first dose. Out of the fully vaccinated workers, 1061 or 4.09% reported post-vaccination infections, while 294 or 5.14% of the partly vaccinated workers tested positive.

Raju Vaishya, senior consultant Orthopaedics and joint replacement surgeon and one of the key authors of the study, said, “Of the 90 cases who required hospitalisation, 48 were males and 42 were females with the majority, that is, 83 cases being below 50 years of age. Of the 3 ICU admissions, 2 were males and 1 was female, between the ages of 25 to 39 years, with 2 fully vaccinated and 1 partially vaccinated. The incidence of PVI in those who had been administered Covishield was 4.32% and in those who had received Covaxin was 3.85%. The findings of the study are under consideration for publication in a peer-reviewed medical journal.”