Professor Čaplinskas compared coronavirus vaccines: one of them has a fundamental difference

Today’s vaccines are an unprecedented development

As soon as the SARS-Cov-2 coronavirus pandemic swept across the world, there was talk of when vaccines would be available. However, at the time, the researchers were still not overly optimistic and thought it would take at least a few years to develop the vaccine.

Still, for the moment, we seem to be heading towards an optimistic scenario. According to the former director of communicable diseases and AIDS, Professor Saulius Čaplinskas, the current development of the vaccine is unprecedented. And not only because of the tremendous speed, but also because of the collaboration between the companies.

“Many companies are coming together, exchanging information and participating in the development of vaccines. Currently, up to 6 types of coronavirus vaccines are being tested. Some are already in clinical stages, others in preclinical stages. It is a very complicated process, on the other hand, it is incredible how fast we are moving forward ”, said the interlocutor.

In most cases, vaccine development takes at least 15 years from idea to implementation. And now, with the latest technology and the global collaboration of scientists, very rapid steps have been taken.

However, there are rumors that some will not actually receive this vaccine because, according to them, it is not possible to develop a normal vaccine within a year. Prof. S. Čaplinskas says that such speeches have no basis.

“Part of the truth or semi-knowledge subsequently leads to wrong conclusions. First, all the tests are not complete yet, but seeing possible progress, scientists are already developing vaccines and storing them. But until all the verification stages have passed, both in terms of efficiency and safety, no one will allow its use. If they are not confirmed to be effective and safe, production will stop and vaccines will be destroyed, ”said the professor.

New generation vaccines

Although there are currently 3 leaders in vaccines, the situation can change in a week or a month and some of them may not work. Also, these three are far from created – there are over 100 different candidates in total.

The first companies to announce what they said was an effective vaccine against COVID-19 were BioNTech, along with Pfizer and Moderna. They have developed a new generation of mRNA vaccines. So far, no such vaccine has been approved worldwide.

This is why some people are concerned about this option. According to the professor, those fears are natural, but there is not even a scientific assumption that the RNA part of the vaccine can damage human DNA.

“Naturally, this question will always come up, and until people get simple answers, it can affect the scope of vaccines,” said S. Čaplinskas.

The third leader in the vaccine is AstenZeneca, which is based on adenovirus. This is the same technology that previous vaccines were developing. So according to the professor, people who are concerned about the mRNA vaccine might choose this one.

“But people will still need to find out what the vaccine contains, what it is made of. Manufacturers have to clearly state this and clear communication about vaccines will be a challenge for each country. It is very important that this is clarified in Lithuania as well. I see another problem in Lithuania: there are few people in Lithuania who can clearly and simply answer the questions that the public has about the vaccine, because the slightest mistake after that can raise doubts, said Prof S. Čaplinskas.

“Now I realize that some scientists are beginning to explain too much detail to the public about all kinds of molecular mechanisms and ‘confuse’ people’s minds, causing even greater fear, rather than dispelling it.”

One of the uncertainties that people currently face, according to the professor, is that the virus is mutating. However, such a mutation, as the interlocutor said, is completely natural.

“Let’s compare a virus with a key and a human cell with a lock. With the arrival of the new virus, it was initially difficult to unlock a human cell. But then if some key has been erased and has started to unlock faster, it is natural that more locks are unlocked. In other words, if a strain of the virus has emerged that penetrates the human cell more easily, it is natural that the virus multiplies faster. This is happening all the time, “explained the professor.

The efficacy of the three vaccines, as currently announced, is similar, around 80-90 percent. Admittedly, it should be added that this is published by the developers themselves, and the data from independent testers is not yet available. But if the efficiency is really that high, according to the professor, it is very good and has exceeded expectations.

However, there are still no detailed studies showing how the effectiveness of the vaccine varies by sex, age, and comorbidities.

And while there are no fully developed and ready-to-use vaccines yet, there are already plans and plans for how your logistics will work and what should be vaccinated first. This is also due to the fact that two of the three main vaccines require extremely low temperatures of around -70 degrees. This temperature is not only required for the old AstraZeneca vaccine.

“Each manufacturer and company determines the conditions in which they must be stored. In my opinion, there is now too much of a problem, which does not have to be fundamental. According to the contract, if these vaccines are purchased, the same supplier will have to take care of cold chain. In today’s world, if there is demand, the supply will also be covered. Also, such cold will only be necessary for storage. In the vaccination room, they will simply keep it in the home refrigerator and you will be informed how long it can stay there. During that time it will have to be consumed, “said Prof S. Čaplinskas.

However, according to the interlocutor, this is nothing new, since each vaccine requires certain storage conditions and time to use the vaccine.

Unfounded fears are already spreading

By the way, although the Lithuanian vaccine is far from coming, several languages ​​are already spreading about how the body will react to the new vaccines. For example, recently on the social network Antanas Guoga wrote that after the first vaccination there will be such unpleasant phenomena that the second vaccination will no longer be necessary. Prof. S. Čaplinskas responded to these statements with irony.

“I don’t know, maybe Guoga has already been vaccinated and knows everything? Also, if Guogai was injured and the temperature rose, it does not mean that it hurt and rose for another. The response of each organism to any vaccine is very individual. For me, for example, there is no reaction to the flu vaccine that I get every year. Others sometimes experience a fever or pain at the injection site. Also, if there is a reaction to the vaccine, it means that it is working and you are not injecting holy water. Only for some the reaction is stronger, for others not ”, said the interlocutor.

The teacher also provided an example of a meningococcal infection that children are vaccinated against. It is known that a child can have quite a high temperature after this vaccine. For this reason, paracetamol is administered immediately after vaccination. It can also occur with a coronavirus vaccine.

What if the vast majority of society is not vaccinated?

“The money will simply be poured into the account, the virus will continue to spread, many people will get sick and what is now will be repeated. Coronavirus outbreaks are likely to recur during the cold period of the year. However, if information about the coronavirus continues to be scattered, it is clear that people will not be vaccinated. The authorities must communicate and convey a clear message. And now there is a “bullet burial” in Lithuania, “Prof S. Čaplinskas said.

It is not yet clear how the different vaccines will be distributed and which group of people will receive the vaccines from one company or another. According to the interlocutor, it would be good if citizens could decide for themselves which vaccine they want to vaccinate.

“There can also be differences as to when you need a booster shot, whether one dose is enough, whether you need two shots or whether you need shots every year, and whether we get a shot from year to year. All of this will have to be explained to people and you will have to be well versed in vaccination cabinets. This is another great job, “said the professor.

– One group of people may get one vaccine and another. I also see a big problem here if the decision makers don’t pay attention to this beforehand. Vaccination is likely to be necessary every year, as well as in people who have been exposed to a mild form of coronavirus to maintain immunity. “