Efficacy and landscape of Covid-19 vaccines: a review article

• Main Author: Azevedo,Thomás Cavalcanti Pires de
• Publication Date: 2021
• Other Authors: Freitas,Pedro Vianna de, Cunha,Pedro Henrique Padilha da, Moreira,Eraldo Abillio Pereira, Rocha,Thiago José Matos, Barbosa,Fabiano Timbó, Sousa-Rodrigues,Célio Fernando de, Ramos,Fernando Wagner da Silva
• Format: Article
• Language: eng
• Source: Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira (Online)
• Download full: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0104-42302021000400474
• topic: Covid-19; Vaccines; Efficacy

SUMMARY INTRODUCTION: The rapid advance of Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) has led to the incessant search for therapeutic and prophylactic measures to fight the pandemic. Because it is a viral infection, the safest long-term prophylactic form, in addition to social distance and hygiene, is the vaccine. OBJECTIVE: Thus, this study aimed at conducting a review of the efficacy and landscape of Covid-19 vaccines. METHODS: The following electronic databases were used MEDLINE via PubMed, SCIELO, LILACS, NEJM, and Clinical Trials. Our study includes the 7 vaccines (phase 3) that reported an efficacy rate for Covid-19, including characteristics inherent to each one of them. RESULTS: Preliminary studies have shown that, although an efficacy ≥70% is necessary to eliminate the infection, a prophylactic vaccine with efficacy <70% will still have an important impact and can contribute to the elimination of the virus, provided that appropriate measures of social distancing remain. CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of the vaccines obtained in this study varied between 50.38 and 95%, data that may represent a reduction in serious cases, hospitalizations, sequels, and deaths caused by Covid-19, respecting the panorama presented in this article.