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COVID-19 vaccines: Get the facts

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Do the COVID-19 vaccines protect against the COVID-19 variants?

In the U.S., the delta (B.1.617.2) variant is now the most common COVID-19 variant. It is nearly twice as contagious as earlier variants and might cause more severe illness.

While research suggests that COVID-19 vaccines are slightly less effective against the variants, the vaccines still appear to provide protection against severe COVID-19. For example:

  • Early research from the U.K. suggests that, after full vaccination, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is 88% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19. The vaccine is also 96% effective at preventing severe disease with COVID-19 caused by the delta variant.
  • Early research from Canada suggests that, after one dose, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is 72% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 caused by the delta variant. One dose of the vaccine is also 96% effective at preventing severe disease with COVID-19 caused by the delta variant.
  • The Janssen/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is 85% effective at preventing severe disease with COVID-19 caused by the delta variant, according to data released by Johnson & Johnson.

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