Single dose of AstraZeneca Covid jab will keep 90% of people out of hospital and prevent 70% of cases, study claims

A SINGLE dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid jab will keep nine out of ten people out of hospital and prevent seven out of ten cases, a study claims.

Ministers slashed the gap between doses from 12 weeks to eight amid fears one jab wouldn’t protect people from the Delta variant.

But a Canadian study now shows the first dose alone gives 88 per cent protection against hospital admission – and stops most infections too.

Sir Mene Pangalos, vice-president at the company said: “Different variants are threatening to disrupt our route out of the pandemic.

“This real-world evidence shows the vaccine provides a high level of protection against the most serious forms of the disease even after just one shot.”

But scientists say it is vital people got the second dose, too, for maximum protection.

SAGE experts had warned the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab – given to around half of Brits – may only give 40 per cent protection against catching the virus.

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But the latest study, done in Canada, nearly doubles this estimate to 70 per cent, suggesting only three out of 10 single-jabbed people can get sick from the virus.

It also showed the jab was “highly effective” against the variants from South Africa and Brazil.

The study compared vaccination rates in 70,000 people who tested positive between December and May in Canada.