Even the first dose of two-shot vaccines can halve transmission

As well as reducing patients' risk of catching the virus, the preprint of the new study says the first dose of AstraZeneca (above) and Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccines also slash transmission risks. File photo

Just one dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech or AstraZeneca vaccines can cut transmission risks by up to 50%, according to a new study. 

The preprint published yesterday by Public Health England shows both vaccines offer “a robust antibody response” and are effective at cutting the risk of passing on the infection and reducing the severity of Covid-19 after 14 days.