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The campaign vaccination against coronavirus. By the end of March, our country wants to reach the figure of 13 million vaccinated, says today the Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza, in an interview with La Stampa in which he also explains why we have received so few doses compared to Germany While Undersecretary Sandra Zampa says that it will soon be the turn of public employees and the professor of medical statistics at the University of Bicocca, Giovanni Corrao, explains how the ranking will work and who will be the first to be called for prophylaxis. We’ve alredy talk about that who.
Coronavirus Vaccine FAQs and Hoaxes
With the possibility of getting vaccinated, underlines the ISS (Higher Institute of Health), “comes a fundamental weapon in the fight against the epidemic, in addition to those we already have, starting from social distancing, the use of masks and hand hygiene “These measures cannot be abandoned before a sufficient number of people are vaccinated to create community immunity, underlines the ISS, which has published the main faqs (frequently asked questions) and fake news on the subject on its website, with some myths for First, it is clarified that the vaccine will be free and will be carried out in public facilities Regarding the effectiveness of the vaccination campaign, the ISS points out that to be approved by the regulatory authorities, all vaccines must have proven to be effective.
Are Sars-CoV-2 vaccines effective?
To be approved by regulatory authorities, all vaccines must demonstrate efficacy. In the case of the vaccine produced by Pfizer, the first to be approved, the trials showed an efficacy of 94%. Several dozen other candidates are undergoing human testing around the world, some of them at an advanced stage, which will be approved if they are effective and safe.
What evidence is there of their safety, given that they were approved so quickly?
The tests requested by the authorities and carried out on candidate vaccines against Sars-Cov-2 are the same as for all other drugs and vaccines already previously approved. In Europe, it has been possible to accelerate the process thanks to the greater resources available and by adopting a system for reviewing specific documentation, which includes examining the results of the different phases of experimentation as they arrive and not ‘en bloc’ at the end. In the case of the Pfizer vaccine, 44,000 people have been tested in different countries around the world.
For the first time, “RNA” vaccines will be used. What does that mean?
Usually the “weakened” virus (or bacteria), or part of it, is injected into the vaccine. The immune system recognizes the “intruder” and produces the antibodies that it will use when it encounters the “real one.” In the case of RNA vaccines, instead, the ‘instruction’ is injected to produce a particular protein, called a ‘spike’ protein, which is what the virus uses to ‘stick’ to cells. The cell then produces itself the “foreign” protein, which once recognized activates the production of antibodies.
Is this technology dangerous? Am I at risk of changes in my DNA?
In addition to not having the ‘instructions’ to modify DNA, messenger RNA never enters the cell nucleus, which is the part that contains the genome, so it cannot alter it in any way. Also, messenger RNA degrades after a few days, once its “job” has been done.
How long does the protection last? Can I come back to life before the pandemic once I have the vaccine?
Observations in trials so far have shown that protection lasts for a few months, while it will be necessary to wait for longer observation periods to know whether a vaccination will be sufficient for several years or will need to be repeated. It is not yet clear, but studies are underway on whether the vaccine only protects against disease or also prevents infection. At least initially, even those who are vaccinated must maintain some protective measures.
Who will be vaccinated? When can I do it?
In a first phase, health workers and residents of the RSA will be vaccinated. Later, as vaccine supplies arrive, we will proceed with the rest of the population, starting with the most fragile subjects, such as the elderly or those with previous illnesses. The vaccine will be free and will be held in public facilities. At the moment, children and adolescents, in whom the vaccine has not been tested, are excluded from vaccination, while evaluations are carried out for pregnant and lactating women.
What are the side effects?
Like all vaccines, even those against Sars-Cov-2 can cause undesirable effects. During experimentation, common reactions were found, already observed in other vaccines. In all countries that have adopted the vaccine, including Italy, there is still a surveillance system that compiles reports.
Sars-CoV-2 vaccines were made too quickly and are not safe.
False. Vaccines are approved by the competent authorities only after verifying their quality and safety requirements. Ema, the European Medicines Agency, approved today the first vaccine against SARS-Cov-2.
In Italy, vaccines against Sars-CoV-2 will never arrive because they have not yet been purchased.
FALSE. Italy was one of the first countries in the world to optionally have the quantities of vaccines necessary for its administration to the entire population. In fact, Italy with France, Germany and the Netherlands was among the first countries to sign all the contracts formalized by the EU for the purchase of vaccines. The initiation of vaccinations in Italy is subject to the approval of the competent Authorities for its use. The RNA vaccine manufactured by Pfizer BioNTech is currently licensed
Vaccination against Sars CoV-2 is useless because the virus has already mutated and the vaccine is ineffective.
FALSE, there is currently no evidence that the virus mutation detected in the UK could affect the efficacy of vaccination. Vaccines determine the formation of an immune response against many fragments of the so-called Spike protein, which, so to speak, the virus produces to adhere to and infect cells. So even if there had been a mutation in some fragments of the Spike protein, it is unlikely that it would be enough to render the vaccine ineffective.
Vaccines are expensive, only the rich can get vaccinated.
False, vaccines in Italy will be available free of charge to all citizens, starting from the categories identified as priority. The vaccination, although at different times, will be offered to everyone.
The RNA vaccine is dangerous because it changes the genetic code.
FALSE. The task of mRNA is only to carry the instructions for the production of proteins from one part of the cell to another, which is why it is called a “messenger”. In this case, the RNA carries the instructions to make the protein used by the virus to bind itself to cells, the protein called Spike. Thanks to vaccination, the body produces specific antibodies before coming into contact with the virus and is immunized against it.
The vaccine is useless because immunity only lasts for a few weeks.
FALSE. Vaccine-induced protection, based on data from the trials, will last for a few months. Only when the vaccine is administered to large sectors of the population will it be possible to check whether immunity will last a year, as with influenza, more years, as with pneumococcal vaccination or whether it will be necessary to undergo boosters.
The vaccine is useless because it does not kill the virus and does not stop the epidemic.
FALSE – the purpose of the vaccine is to activate the body’s defense system against the virus so that if it comes into contact with it, it is ready to attack it and render it ineffective.
After vaccination, I will finally be able to avoid wearing the mask and will be able to meet family and friends in freedom.
FALSE, Even after having been vaccinated, it will be necessary to continue observing protective measures towards others, such as a mask, social distancing and careful hand washing. This will be necessary until the immunization data show with certainty that, in addition to protecting itself, the vaccine also prevents the transmission of the virus to others.
