Corona vaccine … the hope of salvation from the epidemic is growing

The world received joyous news, with the companies “Pfizer” and “Biontech” announcing preliminary results stating that their Corona vaccine is 90 percent effective, so are we really nearing the end of this epidemic that changed our world?

Many countries around the world are experiencing the second wave of the new Corona virus. This epidemic, which registers hundreds of thousands of injuries daily around the world, with a number of deaths that amounts to more than one million 270 thousand, is seen by people, governments and scientists as a harsh reality that forced everyone to change their Lifestyle. But two days ago a new hope arises, in the possibility of containing the threat of the virus, with the American company “Pfizer” and the German “Biontech” announcing positive results for their joint project to search for a vaccine, since their experiments gave as a result a result that states that the Corona vaccine is 90% effective. percent. This announcement led the director general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to call it “encouraging”. In addition, the outgoing US President Donald Trump welcomed it as “great news.” US President-elect Joe Biden confirmed that he saw the “hope” indicator, but warned that the “battle” was still long, urging Americans to stand firm. But amid great hope, there is great fear that access to the vaccine will be restricted, at least for the next two years, to limited groups and classes of the wealthy.
The history of the American-German combination vaccine began last July with the first clinical trial. That day, half of the participants received the proposed vaccine, while the other half received a saltwater placebo, and then the two companies waited for the participants to become ill to determine if the vaccine provided any protection. According to the results, 94 of the 44 participants were injured
A person becomes ill with the disease caused by the new coronavirus. Consequently, the two companies announced that end result. However, an independent panel of experts from the United States considered that the analysis adopted by the two companies is still under study, and that it is still too early to say that the vaccine is 90 percent effective.

And the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had put a 50 percent cap on the effectiveness of the vaccine for vaccine manufacturers who wanted to submit their candidate vaccines for an emergency permit. If the preliminary results from Pfizer and Biontec are tested and accurately reflect how the vaccine will work in the real world, then their vaccine, which is taken in two doses three weeks apart, far exceeds that barrier.
This means, for Americans in particular, who ordered 100 million doses of the vaccine in advance, that the first vaccinations can begin before the end of this year, as long as its safety for human health is confirmed starting next week. . For his part, Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, hoped that his country could have doses before the end of the year.
The two companies intend to apply for a license from the Food and Drug Administration, which will determine the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. The Secretary of Health of the United States, Alex Azar, said that the distribution of the vaccine would only be a matter of weeks. In the European Union, which previously bought 200 million doses and is negotiating to order an additional 100 million doses of the vaccine, “the vaccine may not be available before early 2021,” according to a European source. Other countries, such as Japan, Canada and Great Britain, have placed orders for the vaccine and demand is expected to exceed quantities available at first, as the two companies expect to provide 50 million doses in 2020 and 1.3 billion doses next. year.

While it is believed that between 60 and 70 percent of the world’s population needs to be immune to the virus to prevent its easy spread (known as herd immunity), the world is not enough for the amounts announced by the two companies. But billions of vaccines, which must be manufactured. Although pharmaceutical companies will make the vaccine, they will not decide who gets vaccinated first. For example, Sir Min Pangalos, executive vice president of the Swedish company “AstraZeneca”, which is developing a vaccine with the University of “Oxford” in Great Britain: “Each organization will have to do it o The country determines who gets vaccinated first and how does “.
Given that initial supply will be limited, the priority is likely to be to reduce mortality and protect health systems. Here, it is necessary to distinguish between rich and poor countries. Rich countries can buy vaccines and distribute them as they see fit. As for low- or middle-income countries, even the United Nations “Gavi Vaccine Alliance” developed a plan represented by countries that signed the Kovacs communiqué regarding both high-income and high-income coronavirus vaccines. low, it will receive adequate doses for three percent of its population, which will be sufficient to cover health and social care workers. As more doses are produced, allocations are increased to cover 20 percent of the population, this time to prioritize those over 65 and other vulnerable groups. After all people receive this 20 percent, the vaccine will be distributed according to other criteria, such as the vulnerability of a country and the immediate threat of the virus.

According to Gavi, rich countries can buy between 10 and 50 percent of their vaccine needs, and distribute them to different age groups, as a first stage, and then go to buy the remaining amount, to later distribute it to the rest of the population. the population. In addition, Pfizer CEO Albert Burla indicated that the groups most vulnerable to virus infection are likely to have priority access to the vaccine. For months, non-governmental organizations have expressed concern about the purchase of doses of the vaccine by rich countries, as well as the possible price of the vaccine, “Pfizer.” “The vaccine will be 0 percent effective for people who don’t have the money to get it,” said Robin Guitar, spokesperson for “Oxfam” in France.
Regarding the safety and efficacy of the two companies’ vaccine, it is not yet known whether it provides long-term immunity, whether it protects those who were previously infected with the coronavirus, and whether it prevents people from contracting the virus and transmitting it, or simply reduces its severity. In any case, the companies did not report serious security problems. Before conducting the current study, the two companies conducted smaller clinical trials that began in May that were specifically designed to detect warning signs about the safety of the vaccine. Four versions of their vaccine were tested and the one that produced the fewest mild and moderate side effects, such as fever and fatigue, was chosen. Therefore, if the vaccine gets emergency clearance from the Food and Drug Administration, those who receive it will be monitored for two years. On the other hand, there are other logistical concerns, including that the vaccine should be stored at a temperature of minus 80 degrees, and if the answer is yes, then this poses a challenge even in very cold countries whose temperature does not drop below 40 Under zero grades. .

Speaking of experimental vaccines that are being worked on around the world, the Russian vaccine “Sputnik 5”, which Russia announced yesterday that its efficacy exceeds 90%, has not been accepted by the United States, the European Union and Western countries. in general and those associated with it. Since announcing the start of distribution of this vaccine last August, Moscow has approved a second vaccine, with plans for a third vaccine underway. As for China, it has four candidate vaccines in the final stages of testing. However, yesterday, the Brazilian Health Regulatory Authority announced that it had suspended clinical trials of the Chinese vaccine “Sinovac” due to a “severe harmful effect” that occurred on October 29, without providing further details.
The American company “Moderna” is developing another experimental vaccine, the results of which are expected in the coming weeks, and uses the same technology for “Pfizer” and “Biotec”. The world is also awaiting the results of another vaccine, which is in advanced stages, which is being developed by the company “AstraZeneca” with the University of “Oxford”. More results are expected from other teams working on advanced trials of other vaccines in the coming weeks and months. According to the World Health Organization, there are about 200 vaccines in development worldwide, of which 12 vaccines are nearing the final testing stage. Based on the results, some companies say their vaccines could be given the green light for use as soon as this year.

Pfizer and Biotec have yet to announce the price of their vaccine dose, but low-income countries can be supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which announced the supply of at least 100 million doses of vaccines. For India and low-income countries. It is unlikely that a fee will be charged to patients receiving the vaccine in most cases. Prices per dose depend on the type of vaccine, the manufacturer, and the number of doses needed. Moderna, for example, will sell its possible vaccine at a price ranging from $ 32 to $ 37 per dose. As for “AstraZeneca”, it indicated that it will deliver its vaccine “at cost”, which means a few dollars per dose, during the period of the epidemic.