The UK has approved a second COVID-19 vaccine for use in the country, and it is a homemade one. The government has ordered 100 million doses of the shot developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, more than any other candidate.
When do the vaccinations start?
The first doses will be released in the UK on Wednesday, and the vaccination campaign will begin on Monday. AstraZeneca says it wants to deliver millions of doses in the first quarter.
For the record:
13:53, 30 December 2020An earlier version of this story states that the vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech makes cells in factories for vaccination. The vaccine asks cells to create a piece of coronavirus to stimulate an immune response.
The government says that the priority should be to give as many people in risk groups their first dose, rather than giving the required two doses in a short time possible. But people should get the second shot four to twelve weeks after the first.
The first UK-approved vaccine made by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech, require two injections three weeks apart.
How does the vaccine differ from others?
The product uses a harmless chimpanzee virus to transport genetic material that triggers an immune response to the coronavirus. This differs from the messaging RNA approach used by Pfizer and BioNTech and by another vaccine manufactured by Moderna and authorized in the United States. These vaccines require the body to make a protein on the surface of the coronavirus, which in turn stimulates the immune system to make antibodies. , which converts the body’s own cells into factories that make vaccinations.
When patients in a clinical trial received two full doses of Astra-Oxford vaccine, it was 62% effective – less than the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccinations.
A small group that mistakenly received half a dose with the first admission showed better protection, with an effectiveness of 90%. However, participants were 55 and younger, and because older people at greatest risk for severe cases of COVID-19 often show a slower immune response, the results leave some doubt as to whether the higher efficacy can withstand further testing. .
What dose will be used?
The UK will administer the vaccine in two full doses instead of in the half dose, in the full dose. AstraZeneca said it plans to conduct more clinical research to determine whether the results of the half-dose group hold.
Why did the UK order more doses of this vaccine?
The Astra-Oxford recording is easier to transport and store: it can take up to six months in refrigerator temperatures, while the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine needs to be deep-frozen. Most doses will also be produced in the UK, which will help prevent delays in supply.
Will the UK allow people to get both vaccines?
A regulatory panel has advised against mixing doses of different vaccines, as the combination has not yet been tested. But it is possible that the shots may be pooled in the future if studies show that it can provide an improved immune response.
The British Vaccine Taskforce has outlined plans to test combinations of approved shots next year to see if a mixture can boost immunity, the panel said this month. The first tests will combine the Pfizer and Astra-Oxford vaccines.
According to Andrew Pollard, who led the University of Oxford’s vaccination study with AstraZeneca, a combination should work for vaccines that target the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2.