New study: Vaccines do not reduce the risk of infection in the family

Research published in the Lancet shows that fully vaccinated people still infect other family members like unvaccinated subjects .

Researchers from Imperial College London, the UK Health Security Service (HSA) and several others say there is little or no difference in the likelihood of infecting a loved one between a patient vaccinated or not vaccinated, Guardian reported on October 28.

In addition, even people who are fully immunized are at high risk of infection. Research shows that people who have been vaccinated when in contact with an infected family member have a 25% chance of testing positive . For unvaccinated contacts, the figure is 38% .

The team says the results do not reflect the extent of infection.

Health workers administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the US in April. (Photo: Reuters).

To conduct the study, the authors analyzed data from 204 family members who had contact with 138 patients infected with the Delta variant. Among them, 53 people continue to be infected with Covid-19 (31 have been vaccinated, 15 have not been vaccinated).

"This explains why 'breakthrough infections' (vaccinated but still sick) spread to contacts like unvaccinated cases ," said Ajit Lalvani, a fellow at Imperial College London. and co-author, said.

According to the team, the maximum infectivity of the virus in infected people is the same, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated or not. However, this level decreased more rapidly in those who had the injection.

Lalvani emphasized that vaccination, combined with a booster dose of vaccine, has an important role in the prevention of Covid-19, when the unvaccinated cannot rely solely on the immunity of the vaccinated person for protection. before the virus.

Mr. Lalvani affirmed that when infected, people who have been vaccinated with most of them have mild symptoms, still avoiding severe cases and death .