The Pfizer and Oxford AstraZeneca vaccines reduce hospitalisations in the over-70s by 80% after the first dose, a new study has revealed.
Presenting the "exciting new data" at a Downing Street press conference, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it was "extremely good news".
He said: "In fact, the detailed data show that the protection that you get from catching Covid 35 days after a first jab is even slightly better for the Oxford jab than for Pfizer, albeit both results are clearly very strong.”
He said the results “may also help to explain why the number of Covid admissions to intensive care units among people over 80 in the UK have dropped to single figures in the last couple of weeks”.
Deputy chief medical officer for England, Professor Jonathan Van Tam said: "No vaccine is 100% effective and there are still people who become ill despite having had that first dose of the vaccine.
"Overall effect for both vaccines is that they are now reducing the likelihood of hospitalisation by 80% after one dose."
He said data on reducing deaths was only currently available for the Pfizer vaccine, showing the likelihood of mortality was being reduced by 85% in those over 70.
He added: "Although the data pertains to the over-70s age group it shows us, gives us those first glimpses of how if we are patient and give this vaccine programme time to have its full effect it is hopefully going to take us into a very different world over the next few months.
"But we have to be patient, we have to push on with the vaccine programme and when you are called, it's important you come and have that first dose.
"And when you are called back for that second dose, to come back for that too."
Asked what effects he expected the vaccine to have across the wider population, he said: "In time I expect the vaccine to lower levels of disease across the country. I expect it to reduce the likelihood that infections that are present can get into the older and more vulnerable population.
"There's a lot to look forward to.
"The problem isn't fixed yet but we definitely have identified a way of fixing the problem."
