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COVID-19 Vaccine Surveillance Report Published - 2 September 2021

Public Health England (PHE) has published its latest weekly COVID-19 vaccine surveillance report.

COVID-19 vaccines prevent over 143,000 hospitalisations in England

The latest PHE estimates suggest that 143,600 hospitalisations have been prevented in those aged 65 years and over in England as a result of the COVID-19 vaccination programme, up to 22 August.

For the latest report, the estimates used in the model were updated to use more recent vaccine effectiveness estimates. Therefore, an increase in the number of hospitalisations averted was seen in this report compared to previous reports.

Approximately 36,100 admissions were prevented in those aged 65 to 74, 58,800 in those aged 75 to 84, and 48,700 in those aged 85 and over.

The indirect effects of the vaccination programme are not included in this analysis. There is increasing evidence that vaccines prevent infection and transmission. Therefore, the figure of 143,600 hospitalisations prevented is likely to be an underestimate.

The number of hospitalisations averted by vaccination can be estimated by considering vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation, vaccine coverage and observed hospitalisations, as well as through modelling.

Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, Consultant Epidemiologist at PHE, said:
"These figures show the vital role that vaccines play in preventing hospitalisations and in turn reducing the pressure on the NHS.

"The vaccine helps protect you and those around you. To gain maximum protection, it is important that you get 2 doses of the vaccine."