Greek Vice President AstraZeneca: Vaccine is effective against mutations



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The total efficacy of the AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine so far after the first and second doses is 70% and protection begins 21 days after the first dose.

“It’s the first dose and then you’re protected, hopefully in 21 days.” So you can take the second dose between the 4th and 12th week, anytime between the 4th and 12th week, and the protection from this second dose as well. it is around 70% ”, emphasizes the executive vice president of research in an interview with ERT 1 and development of the pharmaceutical industry AstraZeneca, Sir Mene Pangalos.

It emphasizes that no one has gone to the hospital or is seriously ill after the first and second doses.

“The closer it gets between 8 and 12 weeks, the more effective it is and there is evidence in the vaccine that shows the picture of the immune response of patients, which shows that the longer we wait, the better the immune response.”

“Therefore, we believe that when we reach this ‘sweet spot’ between the eighth and twelfth weeks, we expect efficiency to increase.”

He emphasizes that “the advantage of this vaccine is that it is relatively cheap, it is kept in the refrigerator, which means that it only needs to be stored at 4 degrees Celsius and it is easy to use with a flexible single dose.

This means that the first dose can be given to many people and then, between 4 and 12 weeks, the second dose can be given, depending on availability. “For me it does, a vaccine that is very likely to have a huge impact not just in the UK, but around the world, as we get approval from other countries.”

The vaccine was approved by the UK Regulatory Authority, but the European Medicines Agency responded that the data they had was not sufficient to allow approval of the vaccine.

Sir Mene Pangalos expresses surprise at Coreper’s comments. “We provide the European Medicines Agency with the same information as the UK Regulatory Authority and other regulators around the world.”

Asked if the vaccine is effective for the new executives, Mene Pangalos replied: “We think it will be, but in the end we will have to create the relevant data and this data will be created in the coming days and weeks.

Our work in structural biology suggests that, at least on the new variant in the UK, the chemistry of the new known variant of the virus, our vaccine will be effective, but we obviously want to create the data to confirm our belief that it is still effective. ” .

Regarding the duration of immunity, he responds that it is something that we must “watch for a while, but given the level of immunity we have after this second dose, I very much hope that we have protection for at least 12 months, we expect more.” .

Regarding those who hesitate to get vaccinated, he answers:

“Yes, I understand the doubts about vaccines. I should mention here the rigor with which these vaccines have been studied in tens of thousands of people and the rigor on the part of regulators to see all the data and work very fast. So I think that there is no difference to any other vaccine that has been developed or to any other drug. So I think people should have confidence in the regulatory authorities and the vaccines that have been approved in their countries and regions. “First of all, I know that I will tell my family to get whatever vaccine is available, be it the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna vaccine, or any other vaccine that has been approved. “

He has not yet had the vaccine, since, as he says, he is waiting his turn and will do it as soon as possible. “I will, I look forward to it, I will do it when it is available to me.”

Source: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ

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