The vaccination of one family household member can reduce the risk of Covid-19 infection to others in the house by at least 30 per cent, a review by European infection control experts has said. The EU agency said that only one study, as of mid-March, had investigated the effectiveness of a Covid-19 vaccine against transmission to susceptible contacts from vaccinated people. “These reduced viral loads hint at a potentially lower infectiousness, further contributing to vaccine effect on vaccine spread,” said the Nature report. “It is not yet clear at this stage whether, and how much, these observed reductions in viral load and duration of shedding would make a vaccinated person less infectious,” the ECDC said. The agency said that there should be decreased transmission overall as natural immunity increases and infections decrease unless variants “induce significant immune escape.”

Source: The Irish Times March 29, 2021 17:37 UTC