COVID-19 vaccination may not spell the end of outbreaks or restrictions

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2021-07-28 09:01

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Swedish and UK scientists used computer simulations to compare society-wide immunity to COVID-19 following people actually catching the disease versus people being vaccinated against it, and say vaccination means immunity is less effectively distributed throughout the population than it would be if that immunity was acquired by people catching COVID-19. That could mean new waves of COVID-19 appear in countries with high vaccination rates, and preventative measures will still be required, they say. However, the authors add that their results are uncertain as their simulations are based on "simplistic" assumptions, and should be "interpreted with caution".

Media release

From: The Royal Society

The risk for a new COVID-19 wave and how it depends on R0, the current immunity level and current restrictions

Using a mathematical model it is shown that immunity from disease is more effectively distributed in a community as compared to immunity from vaccination. Accordingly, considering the same immunity level, more prevention is needed to avoid a future outbreak if immunity comes from vaccination.

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Journal/
conference: Royal Society Open Science

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Stockholm University, Sweden

Funder: No funding has been received for this article.

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