The Indian Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) in a study claimed that the Covishield vaccine dramatically reduces fresh infections. It stated that post-vaccination, there is 93 per cent reduction in fresh infection, while deaths are reduced by 98 per cent.

The Ministry of Defence stated that AFMS published the study on vaccine effectiveness among healthcare and frontline workers of Indian armed forces in the Medical Journal Armed Forces India (MJAFI), a peer-reviewed scientific journal, on July 27.

The study highlights the impact of protection against Covid-19 by Covishield vaccine by analysing its effect on fresh infections and deaths.

Vice Admiral Rajat Datta, the Director General of AFMS and a well-known cardiologist and co-author of the study, said the study was largely conducted on healthy males with few co-morbid illnesses. It did not include children and the elderly, IANS reported.

The surveillance system had data for daily vaccination with first and second dose, dates of testing positive for Covid-19 and Covid related deaths, which were analysed.

Despite that, the fully vaccinated group, which had gone up to 82 per cent of 1.59 million, showed seven deaths only.