Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Accept all cookies Reject all non-essential cookies Find out more

COVID: the reason cases are rising among the double vaccinated – it’s not because vaccines aren’t working

Coronavirus COVID-19 General Research

The Conversation logo

Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK’s chief scientific adviser, has announced that 40% of people admitted to hospital with COVID in the UK have had two doses of a coronavirus vaccine. At first glance, this rings very serious alarm bells, but it shouldn’t. The vaccines are still working very well.

There are several factors at play that explain why such a high proportion of cases are in the fully vaccinated.

COVID vaccines are extremely effective, but none 100% so. This itself isn’t surprising – flu vaccines aren’t 100% effective either. Yet in the US alone flu vaccines are estimated to prevent millions of cases of illness, tens of thousands of hospitalisations and thousands of deaths every year. The COVID vaccines are doing the same in the UK right now – all one has to do is compare the curves from the winter wave with those from this summer.

Read the full article on The Conversation website, written by Jamie Hartmann-Boyce (Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences).

Oxford is a subscribing member of The Conversation. Find out how you can write for The Conversation.

Similar stories

New Oxford Sparks short video launched: When stress turns bad

300 companies created by the University of Oxford

The University of Oxford has reached the milestone of creating 300 companies based on research and ideas from students, staff and alumni.

What’s your sound barrier? New study finds nearly one in five people in the UK find everyday sounds intolerable

Researchers from King’s College London and University of Oxford have shown that 18.4 per cent of the general UK population report that certain sounds, such as loud chewing, and repetitive sniffing, cause a significant problem in their lives. The condition is known as misophonia.

Misophonia: nearly one in five UK adults have the condition causing extreme reactions to certain sounds

Many of us have sounds that we find to be annoying. But for some people, certain sounds actually trigger extreme reactions.

Any type of hormonal contraceptive may increase risk of breast cancer

An analysis of data by researchers at the Nuffield Department of Population Health’s Cancer Epidemiology Unit has shown that use of progestogen-only hormonal contraceptives is associated with a 20-30% higher risk of breast cancer. The results are published in PLOS Medicine.

Viewing self-harm images on the internet and in social media usually causes harm, according to new review

Clinical researchers have reviewed the international research evidence regarding the impact of viewing images of self-harm on the internet and in social media.