US phase 3 trial data shows 79% vaccine efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19: AstraZeneca

It was reported by the investigators that the vaccine was effective across adults of all ages, including older people, which other countries with previous studies had failed to establish.

"These findings reconfirm previous results observed," said Ann Falsey of the University of Rochester School of Medicine, who helped lead the trial. "It's exciting to see similar efficacy results in people over 65 for the first time," CBC News reported. 

Also, no safety concerns related to the vaccine were identified by AstraZeneca's experts, including a rare blood clot that was identified in Europe.

It was found by the scientists that there was no increased risk of clots among the more than 20,000 people who got at least one dose of the shot, which was developed with Oxford University. 

"Vaccine efficacy was consistent across ethnicity and age. Notably, in participants aged 65 years and over, vaccine efficacy was 80%. Amongst participants in the interim analysis, approximately 79% were white/Caucasian, 8% black/African American, 4% native American and 4% Asian, and 22% of participants were Hispanic," the pharmaceutical company said in a statement.

Although the vaccine has been approved for use in 50 countries, including Canada, it has not yet been approved in the US.

Canada is expected to receive 1.5 million doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford product from the U.S. government this week.
 

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)