Community-level evidence for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine protection of unvaccinated individuals

Mass vaccination has the potential to curb current COVID-19 pandemic by protecting individuals who have been vaccinated against disease and possibly lowering likelihood of transmission not vaccinated. The high effectiveness widely administered BNT162b vaccine from Pfizer–BioNTech in preventing only but also infection with SARS-CoV-2 suggests a for population-level effect, which is critical eradication. However, this putative effect difficult observe, especially light highly fluctuating spatiotemporal epidemic dynamics. Here, analyzing records test results collected during rapid rollout large population 177 geographically defined communities, we find that rates each community are associated substantial later decline infections among cohort aged under 16 years, unvaccinated. On average, 20 percentage points given population, positive fraction unvaccinated decreased approximately twofold. These provide observational evidence protects provides cross-protection community. New data healthcare organization Israel reveal reduction new an communities rollouts, suggesting mass strategies confer individuals.