JCVI Professor confirms current vaccines are 'highly effective' against Covid-19 variants

23 May 2021, 12:49 | Updated: 23 May 2021, 12:56

JCVI member confirms vaccines highly effective against variants

An expert has confirmed to LBC the Pfizer and AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccines are "highly effective" in stopping serious illness from Covid-19 variants.

Professor Adam Finn, from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, spoke to LBC's Tom Swarbrick on Sunday after a study by Public Health England (PHE) released their findings.

"This is mild disease so this is people showing up for a pillar 2 test, so they just think they might have Covid so they get a test," he told Tom Swarbrick.

"The figures that we're all used to thinking about are the more robust figures against hospitalisation and death.

"All along the mild estimates for the AstraZeneca are a bit lower than Pfizer."

Asked by Tom if that "put him off" the AstraZeneca vaccine, Professor Finn said the benefits are still widely regarded.

READ MORE: More than 50 million doses of coronavirus vaccine now given in England

READ MORE: Surge testing in new London areas after Indian variant found

"As far as most people are concerned what they want to avoid is ending up in hospital or dying of this disease. With regard to that both vaccines are highly effective," he added.

"With regard to the indirect effects which is preventing transmission, they're both significantly less effective but they are effective to some extent.

"So I think we're still in a place where we still have two very effective vaccines."

Watch the full exchange in the video above.