NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — All three approved COVID-19 vaccines in the US remain highly effective against the contagious delta variant, according to a new study.
As delta has led to a global spike in cases, vaccines have proved to be between 92 and 95 percent effective at stopping hospitalizations, according to a joint analysis released Wednesday by the state Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The vaccines are still powerful blockers new infections, as well, with spread among inoculated individuals remaining rare. Delta has only slightly reduced the vaccines’ overall effectiveness at blocking new cases from 92 percent to 80 percent — remaining an incredibly effective vaccine, researchers found.
"The findings of our research are clear: Vaccines provide the strongest protection for New Yorkers against getting infected or becoming hospitalized due to COVID-19," said senior author and State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker in a statement, who urged New Yorkers to get the jab and remain cautious.
“Our study indicates while breakthrough cases of COVID-19 are rare, fully vaccinated New Yorkers still need to remain vigilant as the Delta variant has led to increases in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations,” Zucker added.
The study comes as scientists are still working to understand the behavior of the highly transmissible delta variant, which has rapidly swept across the globe and devastated areas with low vaccine rates.
It also arrives just as New York City institutes a vaccine mandate for many indoor activities, following the likes of cities around the globe.
“At this important time in the epidemic, we've observed a clear increase in cases for unvaccinated and even vaccinated people,” said lead study author Dr. Eli Rosenberg, in a statement.
“Yet these results demonstrate that compared to unvaccinated people, those who are vaccinated remain consistently far more protected against infection and hospitalization," he added. "Vaccines remain a critical tool for COVID-19 prevention."