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There are many unknowns when it comes to Covid-19 vaccines, especially when it comes to timing, dosage, and long-term protection.
The tit-for-tat disputes over who has the best regulatory and approval system are a futile distraction that runs the risk of undermining confidence in what are a series of emerging vaccines approved in record time.
In contrast to the lingering doubts, it should be underlined that the top three candidates, from Pfizer / BioNTech, Moderna and the University of Oxford / AstraZeneca, thus far indicate surprising efficacy in the level of protection they provide.
So, will the Covid-19 vaccines that we know work stop the contagion?
Unfortunately, we don’t know yet. In theory, it may not. What we can say at this point, according to Dr. Anne Moore, a vaccine specialist at UCC, is that they will stop the infection, that is, they will ensure that people do not get the disease. “We cannot say that they will stop the broadcast.”
The key priority is to protect the individual, especially those most at risk. That said, if up to 70 percent of the population gets vaccinated, herd immunity is achievable, he notes, reducing transmission.
How long will the protection last?
It is too early to tell. Additional research is needed; The answer is likely to emerge with expanded vaccination and follow-up follow-up.
However, it is encouraging that the available data suggests that most people who recover from Covid-19 develop an immune response that provides at least some protection against reinfection, although we are still learning how strong this protection is and for how long. hard.
The uncertainty is because the world is struggling with a new coronavirus. Research from the 1990s with a mild coronavirus found that reinfection occurred after a year, but you can’t read too much about this, adds Dr. Moore. Therefore, an annual booster dose is possible.
Are we likely to have to receive multiple doses with the initial vaccine?
The initial range of vaccines being tested uses a two-dose regimen, a few weeks apart. Johnson & Johnson is testing a single-dose vaccine.
A two-dose regimen brings challenges in the supply chain and the possibility that not everyone will return. Therefore, a robust management system is required.
Will some be easier to manage than others?
It is clear that Pfizer-BioNTech’s highly acclaimed mRNA vaccine, already licensed for use in the UK, will likely have to be administered in specialist settings as it must be stored to minus 80 degrees and must be reconstituted before being administered. .
And mRNA vaccines, which have never been used in humans before, are surprisingly simple: They are just a clever way to get a viral protein to generate an immune response, and after a few days the body breaks down the mRNA, leaving behind only immunity. to Covid.
To generate a good immune response, two doses will be administered 21 days apart, and the recipients will be protected about a week after the second dose.
The University of Oxford / AstraZenaca vaccine does not require low temperature storage so it will be much easier to administer.
When do we see Covid-19 vaccines?
The launch of the vaccine in the state is dependent on EU regulatory approval. The first tranche is likely to receive the green light in late December or early January.
The vaccine task force, led by Professor Brian MacCraith, will deliver a plan shortly on how vaccines will be implemented and who will be prioritized.
GPs and pharmacists are likely to join the ranks of immunizers, but mass vaccination clinics are likely to be established. Nine freezer trucks have arrived in the country to assist in the deployment.
Ideally, Moore says, vaccines should be self-administered using an arm patch or by taking a tablet, but these are next-generation versions, so vaccination by injection will be the standard approach with Covid-19.
When will a sense of normalcy emerge for the average person?
The impact of Covid-19 vaccines on the pandemic will depend on their effectiveness; how quickly they are approved, manufactured and delivered, and how many people are vaccinated. Most scientists anticipate that, like most other vaccines, they will not be 100% effective.
The first priority has to be healthcare / frontline workers, the elderly, and the medically vulnerable, and securing vaccines for that cohort in the first half of 2021.
Unfortunately, however, until herd immunity is achieved “there is no return to normality,” emphasizes Dr. Moore; so social distancing, masks and hand washing will remain the non-pharmaceutical way to keep Covid-19 at bay. If all goes well, those with lower risk are likely to get vaccinated starting in the third quarter of 2021.
The only certainty is that Ireland will have enough Covid-19 vaccines; some 15 million doses from six manufacturers that have reached a supply agreement with the EU, subject to regulatory approval.
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