According to health news portal CodeBlue, the study analysed Covid-19 deaths by vaccination types and status in the country between February and September last year and found the total Covid-19 age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR) was 47.5 per 100,000 population for the unvaccinated group.
ASMR adjusts for differences in the age distribution of the population.
The study by Nur Asheila Abdul Taib et al. was published in the medical journal The Lancet – Regional Health Western Pacific on Jan 1.
It analysed 20,823 Covid-19 deaths between Feb 24 and Sept 14 last year. The median age of those who died was 61 years.
Among fully vaccinated individuals, the number of Covid-19 deaths of those who received the Sinovac vaccine was 3.8 per 100,000 population, higher than recipients of Pfizer, which recorded 1.1 per 100,000 population.
According to the report, people who received two Sinovac doses accounted for 58.7% or 3,577 Covid-19 deaths over the period, compared to 31.5% (1,919) among double-vaccinated Pfizer recipients, and 9.6% (582) among those who received two doses of AstraZeneca.
As for those with underlying health conditions, the mortality rate was 8.9 times higher among recipients of Pfizer than those without comorbidities, while it was 4.1 times for Sinovac recipients and 1.5 times for those given AstraZeneca.
Additionally, CodeBlue reported that the study identified 24% of the deaths were more common among those aged between 60 and 69, males and those with comorbidities (72.3%).
“Our study findings also concur with the recent recommendations by the World Health Organization (WHO) to offer a third dose to persons aged 60 and above who received inactivated vaccines.
“Evidence from Hong Kong indicated differing concentrations of neutralising antibodies between the inactivated (lower) and Pfizer vaccine recipients (higher), highlighting potential differences in vaccine effectiveness,” said the report.
It also stated that monitoring breakthrough hospitalisations and deaths, vaccination coverage, ensuring hospital capacity and evidence-based booster strategy were critical to prevent Covid-19 mortality.
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