New data reveals none of the COVID-19 cases in the current outbreak who were fully vaccinated for at least two weeks before testing positive have been hospitalised.
Figures released by the Ministry of Health on Thursday reveal of the 88 people with COVID-19 who have been hospitalised during the current outbreak, 17 percent (15) had received one dose of the vaccine before testing positive and just one person had been fully vaccinated.
But the ministry points out many of the vaccinations were done just before the cases were detected and may have happened after exposure to COVID-19.
Considering this, of the 88 hospitalised cases, 4.5 percent had received one dose more than two weeks before testing positive and none had been fully vaccinated for at least two weeks prior to their result.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield noted on Wednesday the timing was important.
"We can give an indication of how many of those people in hospital or who have been hospitalised throughout the outbreak had either had a single vaccine or were fully vaccinated," he said.
"But just keeping in mind that that says nothing about when they were vaccinated and whether or not they may be either partially or fully immune."
Studies have shown that vaccinations are effective in reducing the risk of hospitalisation from COVID-19, including with the Delta variant.
An analysis by Public Health England in June found the Pfizer vaccine was 96 percent effective against hospitalisation after two doses. It was found to be 94 percent effective after a single dose.
Looking at the wider outbreak, of 859 total cases recorded by 3pm on Wednesday, 4.4 percent (48) had had two doses, 13.5 percent (115) had had 1 dose and 82.1 percent (702) hadn't been jabbed.
More than 4m doses have been administered so far, with 2.66m being first doses (63 percent of the eligible population) and 1.37m being second doses (33 percent of the eligible population). On Tuesday, more than 72,000 doses were administered.
