The protection induced by vaccines against COVID-19 infection seems to fade within a few months; however, the protection against severe disease appears to be better maintained, suggests a study published in the Lancet.

The study reported that protection wanes at different speeds, based on the type of vaccine. The nationwide, observational study, based on registry-data from the Public Health Agency of Sweden, the National Board of Health and Welfare, and Statistics Sweden, included around 1.7 million people in the main analysis, and the results were confirmed in a larger population of close to 4 million people. Investigators noted that protection against infection of any severity diminished after the peak reached one month after the second dose. Six months following immunization, the remaining protection against infection was 29% with two doses of Pfizer vaccine and 59% with two doses of Moderna vaccine. With the AstraZeneca jab, there appeared to be no remaining protection from a month and onwards.

Protection against severe illness was reported to be 89% after one month and 64% from four months and onwards over the rest of the maximum follow-up of 9 months… (ET Healthworld – PTI, February 8, 2022)