Coronavirus: ministry summarises efficacy of the four shots given in Cyprus

The health ministry has issued a statement with a summary of the characteristics of all licensed coronavirus vaccines offered in Cyprus.

The vaccines licensed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) are Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.

The Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine is given in two doses three weeks apart. It offers a 52 per cent immunity seven days after the first dose, with the rate increasing to 89 per cent after another week. According to the latest data from Pfizer, seven days after the second dose, efficacy reaches 91.3 per cent against a mild form of Covid-19 and 95.3 per cent against a severe one.

The AstraZeneca vaccine is administered in two shots with the second one eight weeks from the first. It ensures 70 per cent immunity three weeks after the first dose, while 15 days after the second dose it achieves a protection of 76 per cent to 94 per cent and is 100 per cent effective in preventing serious illness and hospitalisation.

The Moderna vaccine is also administered in two doses, this one four weeks from the first to the second. Efficacy reaches 92 per cent 14 days after the first shot, while 14 days after the second dose, it increases to 94.1 per cent, while the protection six months after the second dose amounts to 90 per cent against of a mild form of Covid-19 and 95 per cent for severe symptoms.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is given in a single dose. Protection begins after 14 days, while its protection against the severe forms of Covid-19 reaches 85 per cent after 28 days. After 49 days, the vaccine has been shown to almost completely prevent hospital admissions and the risk of death.