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Mayo Clinic explains vaccine efficacy versus vaccine effectiveness

Mayo Clinic says there may be some confusion over the effectiveness versus the efficacy of the vaccines.

Posted: Mar 1, 2021 3:38 PM
Updated: Mar 1, 2021 5:31 PM

ROCHESTER, Minn. - Three different COVID-19 vaccines are now available but there’s been some debate over which one is the most effective. Medical experts are suggesting it’s too son to tell.

Mayo Clinic says there may be some confusion over the effectiveness versus the efficacy of the vaccines.

Co-director of Mayo Clinics vaccine research group Rick Kennedy says while seemingly similar they’re actually not the same thing.

The efficacy refers to the capacity to produce an effect, such as lowering blood pressure. However, when measuring efficacy it’s done in a controlled environment under expert supervision such as a controlled clinical trial.

Kennedy says this differs from effectiveness which takes into account the real-world use of a drug.

He says with the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines being so new it’s too soon to tell how effective each one is in real-world us.

That’s why the efficacy, or clinical trial results, are being used instead.

Kennedy says at the end of the day all vaccines available have preformed better than expected and are better than no vaccine at all.
He explained, “The only numbers we have to look at are the efficacy. I wouldn't be too worried about 66% versus 95% versus 75% or 80%. The fact is they all work very well and they're all better than no vaccine. Much, much better than no vaccine.”

Pfizer has 95% efficacy in preventing COVID-19 in those without prior infection and Moderna is similar.

Johnson & Johnson has 72% efficacy but 86% efficacy against severe disease.

Mayo Clinic does say all vaccines underwent clinical trials with different strains of COVID-19 and each require different doses which makes comparing them difficult as well.

Minnesota Coronavirus Cases

Data is updated nightly.

Cases: 545404

Reported Deaths: 7040
CountyCasesDeaths
Hennepin1136671672
Ramsey47031847
Dakota41584415
Anoka37699413
Washington24468273
Stearns20690217
St. Louis16561296
Scott15628116
Wright14510125
Olmsted1261396
Sherburne1032379
Carver960543
Clay771689
Rice7481101
Blue Earth684840
Kandiyohi622279
Crow Wing600186
Chisago540649
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Benton523096
Mower447932
Winona435949
Douglas435070
Goodhue433571
Nobles397548
Morrison387759
McLeod384454
Beltrami367557
Isanti366259
Itasca361651
Polk359466
Steele352614
Becker347948
Lyon343948
Carlton324652
Freeborn322329
Pine307021
Nicollet301842
Brown291739
Mille Lacs273748
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Todd265930
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Meeker229937
Waseca228020
Martin210429
Wabasha19813
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Pope9936
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Norman5159
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Cook1440

Iowa Coronavirus Cases

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Cases: 355785

Reported Deaths: 5797
CountyCasesDeaths
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Linn20188329
Scott18815234
Black Hawk15480306
Woodbury14816219
Johnson1391580
Dubuque13066202
Dallas1084996
Pottawattamie10637160
Story1026247
Warren550386
Clinton533589
Cerro Gordo519886
Webster506491
Sioux504273
Marshall476374
Muscatine456396
Des Moines439665
Wapello4248120
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Jasper406970
Plymouth394979
Lee366855
Marion354275
Jones292455
Henry285637
Bremer278360
Carroll278250
Crawford261639
Boone256831
Benton249455
Washington248549
Dickinson238943
Mahaska223749
Jackson217642
Kossuth212062
Clay209225
Tama206371
Delaware202039
Winneshiek192733
Page190020
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Hardin179042
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Hamilton177249
Harrison175273
Clayton165855
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Allamakee149151
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Louisa126249
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Osceola74316
Worth7018
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