The COVID-19 pandemic represents a major challenge for public health. Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 is an essential in the fight against COVID-19. From the beginning of the vaccination campaign, the objective of the national vaccination strategy was to reduce the morbidity and mortality rate caused by COVID-19 and to preserve the capacity of the health system. Several vaccines are used in Luxembourg since 28 December 2020. These are Comirnaty® (BioNtech/Pfizer), Spikevax® (Moderna), Vaxzevria® (AstraZeneca) and COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen® (Johnson & Johnson).
Comirnaty® is the most used vaccine
Between the start of the vaccination campaign and 15 June 2021, a total of 452,575 doses were administered: 273,097 (60%) were first doses, and 179,478 (40%) were second doses. Comirnaty® (BioNTech/Pfizer) was the most used vaccine, followed by Vaxzevria® (AstraZeneca), Spikevax® (Moderna) and finally COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen® (Johnson & Johnson).
In general, the adherence of those invited to the vaccination during this period is 73%, for both women and men.
Vaccination coverage refers to the proportion of the population that is vaccinated. It is increasing among the resident population over 16 years of age. As of 15 June, almost half of this population has received at least one dose, and one third has already received the second dose.
A better vaccination coverage among the elderly
People aged 70 and over, especially those living in an old people's home or in a care home, are the best covered, with a vaccination rate of 80% (for people aged 70+) and 84% (for people living in an old people's home) respectively, compared to 37% for the young population.
Good protection demonstrated from day 28 after full vaccination
The deployed vaccines offer good protection, particularly in fully vaccinated individuals aged 70 years and over, in whom an 85% reduction in infections, 99% reduction in hospitalisations and 92% reduction in deaths associated with SARS-CoV-2 is observed. This means that fully vaccinated people aged 70+ are almost nine times less likely to be infected and ten times less likely to be hospitalised for COVID-19.
Similar protection was observed in residents of old people's homes, with a 90% reduction in infections, 98% reduction in hospitalisations and 96% reduction in deaths after the second dose.
The detailed report is available at the following link: https://covid19.public.lu/en/vaccination/infovaxx.html
Press release by the Ministry of Health