In a bid to speed up protection against developing variants, DGS health authorities have brought forwards the time between the first and second shots of the AstraZeneca vaccine by four weeks. Anyone programmed to have their second shots is likely to receive a phone call from their local health centre advising them of the new date for it. Protection offered by the vaccine (renamed Vaxzevria) against the rising Delta (Indian) variant has been deemed only 64% effective by a recent study run by the pharmaceutical company, though the effects of completed treatment offer a 92% shield against hospitalisation.
