RIVM: An American study does not prove that vaccines prevent transmission of the virus

RIVM: An American study does not prove that vaccines prevent transmission of the virus

For a moment, the Coronavirus has not completely controlled the news. The focus has been on the political The Hague, but the Corona crisis is still raging. The hassle surrounding the vaccination campaign also attracted attention. There was also positive news from that front.

Among other things, NOS spoke with Jaap Van Dessel, director of the RIVM’s Center for Infectious Disease Control (CIB), and Jaco Walinga, the lead model designer for the same RIVM.

There was good news this week about vaccinations from the United States. Not only do the Pfizer / BioNtech and Moderna vaccines protect well against covid-19 infection, they also appear to significantly reduce the risk of virus transmission.

Van Dessel: Well that’s what you’re saying this search Actually there is nothing left. The study revolves around the extent to which a vaccine provides protection from covid-19 infection. Participants are primarily health care and emergency services personnel, and people at risk of increased exposure. In these interim results – because it is – you see these people are well protected after vaccination. But it has not been measured whether vaccination limits the transmission of the virus. “

Is the response to this study very positive?

Van Dessel: “It’s a great study, with hopeful initial results. But the explanation is that NOS also gave itIt goes too far. The study proved that these vaccines are effective against diseases. The question then is whether the conclusion that I reached earlier, that vaccination prevents transmission, is justified on the basis of such an investigation. “

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“Moreover, it was examined whether people who had been vaccinated with a throat virus had complaints. This was almost always the case, barring over 10 percent. These results are in line with results from previous studies in Israel and the UK, for example. But this is not the case. As it appears that vaccination actually reduces transmission of the virus, that is, it prevents you from infecting another person.This was not the subject of study in the study.

So what are the limits of studying?

Van Dissel: “This is a group study in which caregivers, firefighters, etc. have been followed. To prove that vaccination also reduces transmission, you have to demonstrate that the vaccinated person infects fewer people, in a natural environment where you also encounter unvaccinated people. He has not been investigated and certainly has not been proven. “

Of the 3,950 participants in the CDC study, 72 percent were between the ages of 18 and 49 and 62 percent were women. Moreover, 86 percent of the research group were white. Not a representative choice for residents of the United States. Does this affect the rhetoric?

Van Dissel: “It is a very hopeful study because it shows that the virus occurs less frequently in vaccines, but there are several explanations for that. For example, the collective effect: in one place everyone gets vaccinated so everyone coughs less. You build your own virus-free bubble. Moreover, the research was also very limited in age groups. There were very few elderly people among them. “

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“We know from a magazine published two weeks ago in The Lancet A Danish study That among the elderly, at least in Denmark, a second infection occurs more often despite the previous first infection. Anyway more often than the younger groups. “

You have a lot of comments.

Van Dissel: “Again, it’s really a good study, but you must always criticize: What exactly do you say and what conclusions can we draw?”

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