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The COVID-19 pandemic has stopped the world in its tracks and many new safety rules and guidelines have become normal for everyone now. This is an unpredictable virus and affects the human body in different ways. It also has different symptoms and complications. But since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists have warned that the virus that causes the disease affects people of all ages and ethnicities. But in the elderly and in people with underlying health problems, it can lead to serious complications. Older people have weaker immunities and are more susceptible to infections. They are also more likely to have underlying health problems, which can put them at risk for serious complications that can sometimes be fatal. Experts were also concerned about the effect a possible vaccine could have on this population group.
But now, the scientific community can breathe a collective sigh of relief. The COVID-19 candidate vaccine from the American biotech company Moderna has shown signs of working in older adults, new results from an early-stage clinical trial have revealed. This study evaluated a two-dose vaccination schedule of Moderna’s COVID-19 candidate mRNA-1273 given 28 days apart in 40 healthy adult participants at two dose levels, 25 and 100 micrograms, in two age cohorts. , from 56 to 70 and 71 years old. + These results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that the 25 microgram and 100 microgram dose levels were generally well tolerated in both age cohorts, with no serious adverse events reported one month after the second dose.
Good news for the elderly
The researchers say this interim Phase 1 data suggests that mRNA-1273, Moderna’s vaccine candidate for COVID-19 prevention, may generate neutralizing antibodies in older adults and the elderly at levels comparable to those in younger adults. . Given the increased morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 in older adults and the elderly, these data provide optimism to demonstrate the protection of mRNA-1273 in this population, which is being evaluated in the phase 3 COVE study.
Researchers say immune responses are dose dependent
The immune responses were dose dependent; the 100 microgram dose elicited higher binding and neutralizing antibody titers, supporting the selection of the 100 microgram dose for further study in the phase 3 trial. The study was led by the National Institute of Allergy and Disease Infectious (NIAID), part of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). The US government agreed to purchase 100 million doses of mRNA-1273, with the option to purchase an additional 400 million doses.
Common adverse reactions to this vaccine
Numerous trials have shown that this vaccine is generally safe. However, some participants have reported experiencing minor side effects. The most common solicited adverse events reportedly were headache, fatigue, myalgia, chills, and injection site pain. A company spokesperson has said that most of these side effects were mild to moderate in intensity and of self-limited duration.
(With input from IANS)
Posted: September 30, 2020 9:40 pm
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