Which Covid-19 vaccine would you get?

[Giannis]

There's so many vaccines that are being developed and some have already been approved, was wondering what y'all might prefer (if required).

Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine - 90 - 95% effective, 2 shots and recently approved. Developed by a Turkish couple.

Moderna - 95% effective, 2 shots and will be approved next week. Developed by an African-American woman.

Oxford/Astrazeneca - 50-70% effective, 1 shot, controversial. FDA and other developed countries may not approve it yet as they've been accused of poor research and cutting corners however the UK really wants to push for national pride reasons.

Johnson&Johnson - 1 shot, might get approved in February-March. It's not MRNA based unlike the first two, I might get this a year from now

GSK/Sanofi - Another European attempt at the vaccine, push until end of 2021 due to a lab mistake

Sinopharm - Chinese vaccine, I think most of in the west may not get this but perhaps people in Asia will.

Sputnik V - Russian vaccine and first to be registered although it's quite controversial and now the British are trying to combine it with their Oxford vaccine. I don't see this getting approved here in America but I think Pakistanis might get access.

There's also an Australia attempt at making a vaccine but resulted in an a positve HIV test.

 

[Robert]

I will probably be offered Pfizer first so will take that.

 

[ahsan17]

Not sure if the public will be offered a choice. Either way I wouldn't mind taking any of the approved ones once my turn comes.

 

[Giannis]

Not sure if the public will be offered a choice. Either way I wouldn't mind taking any of the approved ones once my turn comes.

I think you do have a choice, you can check with your PCP or any clinics with which shots they're providing. I think those of us in North America will only be getting the first 2 and then J&J latter. The reason I prefer the J&J vaccine cause it's a single shot.

 

[sada90]

Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine - 90 - 95% effective, 2 shots and recently approved. Developed by a Turkish couple
hoping that this most likely be "halal" version of vaccine..

 

[Arsal_AK]

The Oxford vaccine is not controversial (in the sense that its perfectly safe and it does what the results say it does. The science is perfectly clear and their are independent reviews confirming it) and they haven't cut any corners. The US might not go ahead with it because the US trail is still ongoing and FDA doesn't usually approve based on trails outside the US. Also the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines show 25 percent more efficacy than the Oxford one so, its not that hard of a decision to come up with.

The issue with the Oxford results was that they saw a full/half dose regimen seemingly provide more efficacy (90 percent compared to 70), than the suggested regimen of both doses being full. They reported it and are are looking at them in detail now right now, expanding the rail to include another arm). If it holds out, it will be big win as the Oxford vaccine is much more easier to make and can given billion of doses by end of 2021 then the Moderna/Pfizer ones. It also can be administered and stored relatively easily.

The UK and many others, possibly even the US will go ahead with the Oxford vaccine because it is much better to give a 70 percent effective vaccine to say 70 percent of the population than give a 90 percent effective vaccine to half that number.

Here efficacy is prevention of infection. No one from the Oxford arm developed any serious disease or even moderate. That is a big win for now, if we can make this virus a harmless one and take the death toll near zero. Lets wait and see the US data which should be soon, if that shows the same result, this will the game changer due to how easy it is to manufacture and distribute.

Later we should get vaccines which give sterilizing immunity and might shot even be given as shots. The best candidate I have seen so far is the Imperial College one. They are going into trails now.

As to which one I'll take, anyone I can get. I trust the science and know the virus is going to be much more damaging that a vaccine especially one out of phase three trails and issues like ADE not a concern.

 

[EngrOmair]

Done with the First Dose of Sinopharm vaccine, the UAE Government has approved Chinese-made Vaccine showing a vote of confidence in its safety and efficacy.

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Regardless of where you are or which vaccine you'd eventually get or take, it'll take a good few years till things get back to normal again in the world as 2021 will most likely be similar to what 2020 has been like.

 

[Giannis]

Done with the First Dose of Sinopharm vaccine, the UAE Government has approved Chinese-made Vaccine showing a vote of confidence in its safety and efficacy.

I don't trust the UAE; do you feel any side effects?

 

[Giannis]

Regardless of where you are or which vaccine you'd eventually get or take, it'll take a good few years till things get back to normal again in the world as 2021 will most likely be similar to what 2020 has been like.

I doubt that. There's a very good chance we will be able to immunize more than half the population, maybe even 70% in the first half of 2021 thus achieving herd immunity. 2021 is when things will start going back to pre-Covid days, in fact I think by the Tokyo games everything will be back to normal - at least in first world countries.

 

[MenInG]

Moderna's vaccine is safe and 94% effective, regulators say, clearing the way for US emergency authorisation.

The analysis by the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) means it could become the second coronavirus vaccine to be allowed in the US.

It comes one day after Americans across the country began receiving jabs of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

The news comes as the US coronavirus death toll passes 300,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Endorsement of the Moderna vaccine by FDA scientists was announced on Tuesday, two days before the vaccine panel meets to discuss emergency approval.

What were their findings?
The 54-page document said there were "no specific safety concerns" and that serious adverse reactions were rare.

If approved by the team of experts later this week, and by the FDA's vaccine chief, shipments could begin within 24 hours.

The FDA found a 94.1% efficacy rate out of a trial of 30,000 people, according to the document they released.

The most common side effects included fever, headaches, and muscle and joint pain.

Last week, the FDA released similar data from Pfizer before voting to issue approval.

Moderna was founded in 2010 and so far has never had a product approved by the FDA.

The company's stocks have seen a nearly 700% increase so far this year.

How does it differ from the Pfizer jab?

The Moderna vaccine requires temperatures of around -20C for shipping - similar to a regular freezer.

The Pfizer jab requires temperatures closer to -75C, making transport logistics much more difficult.

How will we keep the vaccine cold enough?

Like the Pfizer jab, the Moderna vaccine also requires a second booster shot. Moderna's second jab comes 28 days after the first.

The company is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and has said that if approved, the "vast majority" of its vaccine would be manufactured there.

Pfizer's drug is being manufactured in several countries, including Germany and Belgium.


https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55320467

 

[Firebat]

Moderna vaccine safe and effective, say US experts

Moderna's vaccine is safe and 94% effective, regulators say, clearing the way for US emergency authorisation.

The analysis by the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) means it could become the second coronavirus vaccine to be allowed in the US.

It comes one day after Americans across the country began receiving jabs of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

The news comes as the US coronavirus death toll passes 300,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Endorsement of the Moderna vaccine by FDA scientists was announced on Tuesday, two days before the vaccine panel meets to discuss emergency approval.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55320467

 

[MenInG]

More than 137,000 people have received a coronavirus vaccine in the UK, it has been announced.

Nadhim Zahawi, the minister responsible for the jab's deployment, tweeted that it was a "really good start".

 

[sweep_shot]

Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine perhaps.

I want to wait first. I don't want to take in a hurry.

 

[MenInG]

One more for US guys:


Moderna's coronavirus vaccine has become the second to be approved for emergency use in the US.

The country's Food and Drug Administration announced the authorisation a day after the agency's panel of outside experts backed the vaccine.

The FDA based its decision on results from a late-stage study of 30,000 volunteers which found that the vaccine was nearly 95% effective at preventing illness from COVID-19.

The study also said there were no serious safety concerns resulting from the vaccine's use, although possible side effects include sore arms, fever, fatigue and muscle aches.

National Institutes of Health Director Dr Francis Collins said: "We're not done with this but hope is on the way, and the hope comes from this scientific brain trust that has pulled out all the stops."

The US is the first country to authorise use of the Moderna vaccine - European regulators could approve it as early as 6 January and the UK could also approve it soon.

Moderna says it is prepared to distribute 5.9 million shots in the US as early as this weekend, news that will bring some comfort in a country that has already lost more than 313,000 people to the virus.
struggling to keep up with the number of patients suffering serious complications.

The US has already approved use of a vaccine by Pfizer and BioNTech but the Moderna vaccine is easier to store and distribute, capable of remaining stable at -20C - equal to most household or medical freezers - for up to six months.

Dr Collins said both vaccines had undergone unprecedented rigorous analysis but officials still worry that some members of the public might still need persuading to accept the vaccine.

Like the Pfizer vaccine, Moderna's uses a piece of genetic code that trains the immune system to recognise the virus and attack it. Both require two jabs several weeks apart.

The Moderna vaccine was found to be especially effective in older adults, who are most vulnerable to complications from the disease.

However, like the Pfizer version, it is not clear whether the Moderna jab prevents asymptomatic spread.

https://news.sky.com/story/moderna-coronavirus-vaccine-approved-for-emergency-use-in-the-us-12166939

 

[moghul]

I took Pfizer as it was the first one available and I did not want to wait a day.

I would have no issue in taking any one of Pfizer, Moderna , Oxford and J&J, these are the companies with authentic background of research and reliability.

Don't know much about Sanofi, can't comment.

If China's vaccine was the only one available, I would take it. China's is making good progress in international medical community, lots of research papers coming from there but there still exist some doubt about those research outcomes and the way the conduct the research.

I would stay away from Sputnik.

 

[Giannis]

I took Pfizer as it was the first one available and I did not want to wait a day.

I would have no issue in taking any one of Pfizer, Moderna , Oxford and J&J, these are the companies with authentic background of research and reliability.

Don't know much about Sanofi, can't comment.

If China's vaccine was the only one available, I would take it. China's is making good progress in international medical community, lots of research papers coming from there but there still exist some doubt about those research outcomes and the way the conduct the research.

I would stay away from Sputnik.

Sanofi is a major French pharmaceutical company and they're working with GSK is which one of the most well known drug companies in the world, that said I'm kinda skeptical now that the new strain has emerged.

 

[MenInG]

The EU's medical regulator has approved the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for use across the European Union.

The move from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) paves the way for a rollout across the continent, though the European Commission still needs to give this the green light.

 

[MenInG]

The Covid-19 vaccine developed by the British drugs group AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford has achieved a "winning formula" for efficacy, the company's chief executive said on Sunday.

The vaccine, currently being evaluated by Britain's independent medicines regulator, provides "100 percent protection" against severe Covid disease requiring hospitalisation, Pascal Soriot said in an interview with the Sunday Times newspaper.

He added he believes trials will show his firm has achieved a vaccine efficacy equal to Pfizer-BioNTech at 95 percent and Moderna at 94.5 percent.

“We think we have figured out the winning formula and how to get efficacy that, after two doses, is up there with everybody else," the chief executive said, while saying only that data would be published at "some point".

The UK government announced on December 23 that the developers of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine had submitted their data to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

Approval is expected to be granted to roll out the jab on January 4, The Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was the first coronavirus shot to be authorised for use by the UK's independent medicines regulator and has been given to 600,000 of the country's most vulnerable people since last month.

Earlier trials had shown varying outcomes in the AstraZeneca shot's efficacy. The vaccine intially showed an average 70 percent effectiveness but that level jumped to 90 percent depending on dosage.

- 'Storm' over data -

Behind this average figure from large-scale trials in the UK and Brazil was a 62 percent effectiveness for those who were vaccinated with two full doses of the shot.

For volunteers who received a half-dose first and then a full dose one month later, however, the vaccine was found to have 90 percent efficacy.

Soriot said he was "surprised" by the initial findings. "We would have preferred a simpler set of results," he added.

The lack of clarity and transparency over the discrepancy in the results was widely criticised. Soriot said he had not expected the pushback that followed.

"We assumed people would be a bit disappointed, that’s for sure," he said. "But we didn’t expect that storm."

Great hopes have been placed on the AstraZeneca shot, originally based on a weakened version of a chimpanzee virus, because of its low cost.

AstraZeneca's vaccine also enjoys a logistical advantage over the Pfizer-BioNTech alternative, as it can be stored, transported and handled at normal refrigerated conditions of between two and eight degrees Celsius (36-46 Fahrenheit) for at least six months.

That is a far cry from the -70C needed for Pfizer/BioNTech's offering and could allow use of the existing refrigerated supply chain to cut costs.

- 'Light at the end of the tunnel' -

In a vote of confidence for its homegrown vaccine, the bulk of Britain's requirements are expected to be met by the jab.

The government has ordered 100 million doses, with 40 million doses scheduled to be available by the end of March.

UK officials will hope that confidence is rewarded, not least because the country has been one of the countries most affected by the pandemic with more than 70,000 deaths.

A surge in cases has hit nationwide over the past week, falling especially on the southeast of England and blamed on a new strain of the virus believed to be more infectious, which was first identified in the UK.

According to one British study the strain is 50 percent to 74 percent more contagious.

In an effort to contain the spread of the disease, millions across Britain were placed under tougher lockdown restrictions that came into force on 26 December.

Dozens of countries have also imposed travel restrictions on the UK to stop the spread of the new strain.

Writing in the Mail on Sunday newspaper, Finance Minister Rishi Sunak acknowledged it had been "a tough year for everyone in this country".

However, he added that "the early roll-out of vaccines – and the incredible work of our scientists and NHS – means we can now see light at the end of the tunnel".

Nearly 200 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine will be made before the end of the year, the UK drug manufacturer has said, and more than 700 million globally by the end of March next year.

https://twitter.com/AFP/status/1343...n^s1_&ref_url=https://www.dawn.com/live-blog/

 

[MenInG]

The Government has today accepted the recommendation from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to authorise Oxford University/AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine for use. This follows rigorous clinical trials and a thorough analysis of the data by experts at the MHRA, which has concluded that the vaccine has met its strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) will also publish its latest advice for the priority groups to receive this vaccine.

The NHS has a clear vaccine delivery plan and decades of experience in delivering large scale vaccination programmes. It has already vaccinated hundreds of thousands of patients with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and its roll out will continue. Now the NHS will begin putting their extensive preparations into action to roll out the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine.

Throughout this global pandemic we have always been guided by the latest scientific advice. Having studied evidence on both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccines, the JCVI has advised the priority should be to give as many people in at-risk groups their first dose, rather than providing the required two doses in as short a time as possible.

Everyone will still receive their second dose and this will be within 12 weeks of their first. The second dose completes the course and is important for longer term protection.

From today the NHS across the UK will prioritise giving the first dose of the vaccine to those in the most high-risk groups. With two vaccines now approved, we will be able to vaccinate a greater number of people who are at highest risk, protecting them from the disease and reducing mortality and hospitalisation.

The JCVI’s independent advice is that this approach will maximise the benefits of both vaccines. It will ensure that more at-risk people are able to get meaningful protection from a vaccine in the coming weeks and months, reducing deaths and starting to ease pressure on our NHS.

To aid the success of the vaccination programme, it is vital everyone continues to play their part, abides by the restrictions in their area and remembers hands, face, space so we can suppress this virus and allow the NHS to do its work without being overwhelmed.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Whichever one is available in Toronto after I go back in March

 

[MenInG]

A nursing home resident in Switzerland has died after receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, local media reported on Wednesday.

As per details, he was among the first in the country to be vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine shot.

“We are aware of the case,” said an official from Lucerne, the patient’s area of residence.

Lucerne was the site of the first vaccinations in Switzerland beginning last week, with a shot from Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech given primarily to elderly people. Switzerland has received 107,000 vaccine doses, so far, and expects to get 250,000 per month starting next year.

It is still unclear, whether the death was related to the shot. Details such as the time period between the inoculation and death have also not been released.

Officials said that the Swiss drugs regulator Swissmedic was reviewing the case.

Switzerland has recorded 442,481 virus cases and 7,493 deaths. The country has also reported five cases of the UK coronavirus variant and two of the South African variant.

https://www.brecorder.com/news/40045903/swiss-person-dies-after-covid-19-vaccination-officials

 

[Firebat]

UK draws up plans to mix coronavirus vaccines

The UK has drawn up plans that would allow patients to be given different coronavirus vaccines for the first and second doses under certain circumstances, a move that highlights a widening rift in public health policy between the UK and rest of the West.

The government’s Green Book for vaccinations says “every effort” should be made to complete the immunisation course with the same vaccine. But it also says: “For individuals who started the schedule and who attend for vaccination at a site where the same vaccine is not available, or if the first product received is unknown, it is reasonable to offer one dose of the locally available product to complete the schedule.”

Health Officials said this would only happen under very limited circumstances.

The guidelines stress this would involve individuals who are likely to be at high risk or unlikely to attend the appointment again. The two UK-approved vaccines share the same mode of action, targeting the spike protein of the virus, which makes it “likely the second dose will help to boost the response to the first dose”, the rubric says.

The Oxford vaccine was approved at the end of December, when the Green Book chapter in question, number 14, was updated, according to the government website hosting it.

Stephen Evans, a professor in pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told the Financial Times the approach was “not supported by randomised trial evidence”.

He noted, however, that a randomised trial on vaccine mixing had been announced the UK. The reason such a trial had been suggested, even before any vaccine was authorised, was that there were “theoretical reasons” for believing that mixing and matching vaccines could yield greater efficacy than using two doses of the same vaccine, he added.

Jonathan Stoye, a virologist at The Francis Crick Institute, said mixing different vaccines on an emergency basis “does not seem unreasonable and is akin to wartime medicine”. But he added: “It should not become routine practice without stringent investigation.”

UK health officials rejected suggestions that the guidance implied a change of tactics. One said: “The UK has not moved to a mix-and-match regimen.” The approach would be used in exceptional circumstances where the only alternative was not to complete a vaccination course, they said. In practice it would be used rarely if at all, the official added.

Crucially, combination trials, including one studying the AstraZeneca and Sputnik V jabs, have not yet completed, and the UK’s move apparently reflects what experts have described as a pragmatic, if “go-it-alone”, approach amid rapidly rising case numbers.

The US Centers for Disease Control, one of the most prominent public health authorities globally, says coronavirus vaccines are not interchangeable. The BioNTech and Oxford vaccines use different technologies. The approach also appears to be discouraged in Europe.

UK health authorities have said vaccine shortages are a reality that “cannot be wished away”, and appear to be pursuing a strategy designed to balance risk and benefit amid challenging circumstances.

European authorities do not expect to approve the AstraZeneca vaccine before February, because they do not have enough data. US regulators have said the same. Moncef Slaoui, the head of US Operation Warp Speed, the US government’s effort to manufacture and procure vaccines for the country, said approval was not expected until April.

Disquiet is growing over the UK’s decision to change the dosing regimens for the two coronavirus vaccines it has approved, as experts question the justification for the long period between the first and second jabs. US experts have said they would not recommend diverging from what has been tested and tried in trials.

https://www.ft.com/content/afa31d12...ft?token=bb7f3025-5828-4fba-9896-325bf3b764c2

 

[Firebat]

COVID-19: 'Mixing coronavirus vaccines is not recommended', health agency warns

Public Health England (PHE) has said it does not recommend mixing COVID-19 vaccines from different suppliers.

The warning comes as distribution of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is due to start in the UK next week, the second roll-out following the launch of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in December, with both requiring two doses.

On New Year's Eve, the UK government issued guidance to NHS medics saying that if a person who has received their first jab goes back for their second but the same type is not available, or the first vaccine type is unknown, then it is "reasonable" to offer a dose of another vaccine.

"This option is preferred if the individual is likely to be at immediate high risk or is considered unlikely to attend again," the guidance adds.

After questions were raised about the risks, Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisations at PHE, told Sky News that mixing is not recommended and should only happen on "rare occasions".

"We do not recommend mixing the COVID-19 vaccines - if your first dose is the Pfizer vaccine you should not be given the AstraZeneca vaccine for your second dose and vice versa," she said.

"There may be extremely rare occasions where the same vaccine is not available, or where it is not known what vaccine the patient received.

"Every effort should be made to give them the same vaccine, but where this is not possible it is better to give a second dose of another vaccine than not at all."

Each of the approved vaccines uses different technology to induce an immune response to COVID-19.

The Pfizer vaccine uses mRNA technology - a first for a vaccine - which introduces into the body a messenger sequence that contains the genetic instructions for the vaccinated person's own cells to produce the antigens and generate an immune response.

The Oxford vaccine uses standard vaccine technology by introducing the coronavirus gene into human cells to make the unique COVID-19 spike protein which the immune system builds up a response to if the real virus enters the body.

Dr Simon Clarke, associate professor of cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, said mixing the vaccines without any data is a "huge gamble".

He told Sky News: "It's completely unproven, while it might work it also might not.

"The consequences for getting this wrong are huge, this is the most important thing in the world right now.

"It could mean the whole vaccine programme failing just as we have this new variant. The chances that it won't work are real, and nobody knows."

Dr Julian Tang, a consultant virologist at Leicester Royal Infirmary, said there is a plan to test mixing the vaccines but does not think it is a major issue as vaccines are often mixed between doses.

"We do this quite a lot anyway, especially with the child immunisation programme," he told Sky News.

"My son got one type of pneumococcal vaccine (pneumonia) then another one for the booster and it was fine.

"Healthcare workers often get a different type of vaccine for their booster as they forget or are too busy.

"Hepatitis B vaccines are regularly different because they are given years apart but this does not stop them from working."

Dr Tang said he understands why people would be concerned about the Pfizer and Oxford vaccines using different technology.

"But actually, the vaccines aren't that different, they both induce an immune response for the spike protein," he said.

"I think the risk of people getting the virus before they're vaccinated and then dying is higher than mixing vaccines.

"If it's MHRA and government sanctioned it should be ok - I don't always agree with them, but on this I do."

He added that the US may be more wary of this approach because the medical-legal risks are much higher than in the UK.

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19...-not-recommended-health-agency-warns-12177320

 

[Firebat]

Covaxin: Concern over 'rushed' approval for India Covid jab

Experts have raised concerns over India's emergency approval of a locally-produced coronavirus vaccine before the completion of trials.

On Sunday, Delhi approved the vaccine - known as Covaxin - as well as the global AstraZeneca Oxford jab, which is also being manufactured in India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi touted the approval as a "game changer" but health experts warn it was rushed.

Health watchdog All India Drug Action Network said it was "shocked".

It said that there were "intense concerns arising from the absence of the efficacy data" as well a lack of transparency that would "raise more questions than answers and likely will not reinforce faith in our scientific decision making bodies".

The statement came after India's Drugs Controller General, VG Somani, insisted Covaxin was "safe and provides a robust immune response".

He added the vaccines had been approved for restricted use in "public interest as an abundant precaution, in clinical trial mode, to have more options for vaccinations, especially in case of infection by mutant strains".

"The vaccines are 100% safe," he said, adding that side effects such as "mild fever, pain and allergy are common for every vaccine".

The All India Drug Action Network, however, said it was "baffled to understand the scientific logic" to approve "an incompletely studied vaccine".

One of India's most eminent medical experts, Dr Gagandeep Kang, told the Times of India newspaper that she had "not seen anything like this before". She added that "there is absolutely no efficacy data that has been presented or published".

Even social media users were quick to point out that approving the vaccine before trials were complete was a matter of concern irrespective of how safe or effective the vaccine eventually turned out to be.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-55526123

 

[Josh]

There is another Indian vaccine that has got cleared for phase 3 trial yesterday, Zycov-D, manufactured by Indian vaccine giant Zydus cadilla

I am participating in its phase 3 trial. It's the only DNA based vaccine. A family member works there so I am participating in phase 3 trial for this vaccine. Results have been promising in phase 1 and phase 2. Let's hope it goes well.

 

[KingKhanWC]

None.

1. No guarantee any vaccine will work.

2. Rushed through, no gaurantee they are safe and will not lead to serious health issues.

 

[cricketjoshila]

There is another Indian vaccine that has got cleared for phase 3 trial yesterday, Zycov-D, manufactured by Indian vaccine giant Zydus cadilla

I am participating in its phase 3 trial. It's the only DNA based vaccine. A family member works there so I am participating in phase 3 trial for this vaccine. Results have been promising in phase 1 and phase 2. Let's hope it goes well.

Good luck. Its to be approved in March.

 

[moghul]

None.

1. No guarantee any vaccine will work.

2. Rushed through, no gaurantee they are safe and will not lead to serious health issues.

If I don't know anything about something, I keep quite and never try to spread the wrong information.

 

[KingKhanWC]

If I don't know anything about something, I keep quite and never try to spread the wrong information.

It seems its you who doesnt.

Your hero Dr Anthony Fauci has recently again said there is no guarantee vaccines will work so masks and distancing should continue even after all have been vaccinated. Do keep up.

 

[KingKhanWC]

CDC: More than 5,000 COVID-19 vaccine recipients have reportedly suffered "health impact event"

Moderna reports significantly higher risk of common side effects
5,052 vaccine recipients suffered a "health impact event" as of Dec. 19
CDC defines "health impact event" as one that renders a patient "unable to perform normal daily activities, unable to work, required care from doctor or health care professional"
That's a rate of about 2.3% of vaccine recipients
CDC says a severe allergic reaction, anaphylaxis, was reported in 6 patients
Both vaccines are effective at reducing the risk of symptomatic COVID-19 for at least 14 days (Moderna) or more than two months (Pfizer-BioNTech)
It's impossible to know how effective the vaccines are beyond the number of days they've been given to humans. It's also impossible to know this soon what are the potential long term side effects, if any.

https://sharylattkisson.com/2020/12...QeK6Qd_j3sX4D60rwHcr5U7CarsoG3Pm8Xq_9eYx19gcU

 

[Firebat]

Coronavirus: India to export Covid vaccines 'within weeks'

India will begin exporting locally-made coronavirus vaccines within a fortnight of their launch, a foreign ministry official has told the BBC.

The official dismissed reports that India would ban exports of vaccines it is producing to meet local demand.

India makes about 60% of vaccines globally and many countries are eagerly waiting for it to begin shipping doses.

It has formally approved the emergency use of two vaccines as it prepares to begin giving jabs in January.

India plans one of the world's biggest inoculation, seeking to immunise about 300 million people by July.

The country's drugs regulator has given the green light to two vaccines - one developed by AstraZeneca with Oxford University (Covishield) and one by local firm Bharat Biotech (Covaxin).

The foreign ministry official confirmed that India's plan to help other countries was on track.

"Within a fortnight of the rollout of the vaccines we will allow exports to some of our South Asian neighbours. Some of these exports will be paid by us as gifts, and the others will be supplied at roughly the same price the government will be buying the vaccines at," the foreign ministry official, who preferred to remain unnamed, told me.

"India is completely conscious of its commitments to neighbours and the rest of the world as the world's biggest vaccine maker."

Federal Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said India plans to roll out Covid-19 vaccines by the middle of this month.

"Within 10 days from the date of Emergency Use Authorisation [3 January], there will be vaccine roll-out," he told reporters in Delhi.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-55538092

 

[BigShak]

I have had both doses of the Biontech vaccine now. Was absolutely fine.

 

[sweep_shot]

Portuguese healthcare worker dies 2 days after getting Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine: Report

A healthcare worker in Portugal has died two days after receiving the coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, according to reports. Sonia Acevedo, 41, who worked in paediatrics at the Portuguese Institute of Oncology in Porto, had not reportedly suffered any adverse side-effects after being vaccinated against COVID-19 on December 30.

According to Daily Mail, the mother-of-two suffered a ‘sudden death’ at home on New Year’s Day 48 hours after receiving the jab, raising serious questions over the safety and efficiency of the vaccine.

“She was okay. She hadn’t had any health problems.

'She had the Covid-19 vaccine but she didn’t have any symptoms. I don’t know what happened. I just want answers. I want to know what led to my daughter’s death,” Ms Acevedo’s father Abilio Acevedo was quoted as saying by Portuguese daily Correio da Manha.

Ms Acevedo’s employers confirmed that the deceased woman had been inoculated with coronavirus vaccine on December 30, adding they had not been notified of any ‘undesirable effect’ when she was vaccinated or in the hours afterwards.

“With regards to the sudden death of an operational assistant from the Porto IPO on January 1, 2021, the Board of Directors confirms the event and expresses sincere regret to family and friends in the certainty that this loss is also felt here,” the Portuguese Institute of Oncology said in a statement.

“The explanation of the cause of death will follow the usual procedures in these circumstances,” the statement further added.

Ms Acevedo’s daughter Vania Figueredo said her mother had only complained about the ‘normal’ discomfort in the area where she was jabbed but was otherwise fine, the report added.

Ms Acevedo was one of 538 Porto IPO workers who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Meanwhile, Portugal’s Ministry of Health has been informed about the incident.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/health...-after-getting-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine/703466.

Interesting. [MENTION=43583]KingKhanWC[/MENTION], look at this.

 

[MenInG]

Doctor claims some patients are turning down the Pfizer vaccine to wait 'for the English one'

Former Stockton Labour MP Dr Paul Williams has told The Norethern Echo he has heard reports from GP practices who are vaccinating the most vulnerable group - the over 80s - that when offered the Pfizer/BioNTech jab, some are turning it down to wait for the Oxford/AstraZeneca one.

The vaccine has been bankrolled by the American pharmaceutical giant, and the science itself is the work of BioNTech, a German company founded by married couple and dedicated physicians Ugur Sahin and Ozlem Tureci.

Dr Williams said: "I have heard that GP practices are ringing people and saying 'do you want to come along for your first vaccine tomorrow' and when they are told it is the Pfizer one, they are saying 'no thanks, I'll wait for the other one'.

"People who are saying they want to wait for the Oxford one are losing the certainty of a vaccination being given to them in a couple days, over something that we don't know yet exactly when they will get."

 

[Rana]

UK needs all of them in the market to reach its goal mid February

 

[Firebat]

Pfizer vaccine 'works' against key variant mutation, study suggests

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine can still target a key mutation that has emerged in two new variants of coronavirus, laboratory studies show.

However, this is only one of many mutations that are found in the new forms of the virus.

So while the study has been welcomed, it is not being seen as definitive scientific evidence about how the vaccine will perform.

New variants have been detected in the UK and South Africa.

Both forms of the virus are spreading more quickly and this has raised questions over what level of protection vaccines can offer against them.

The widely held view is that vaccines will still work, but researchers are on the hunt for proof.

The study by the University of Texas focuses on a mutation called N501Y, which as emerged in both new variants.

This is thought to be important because it is in the part of the virus that makes first contact with our body's cells and changes could make it easier to get in and cause an infection.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-55587320

 

[KingKhanWC]

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/health...-after-getting-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine/703466.

Interesting. [MENTION=43583]KingKhanWC[/MENTION], look at this.

No surprise, already there have been many deaths due to this vaccine and many more serious illnesses but you wont see much of this in the meanstream media.

Vaccine may not work but may cause you serious health issues. Reason I will never take it.

 

[Firebat]

Sinovac: Brazil results show Chinese vaccine 50.4% effective

A coronavirus vaccine developed by China's Sinovac has been found to be 50.4% effective in Brazilian clinical trials, according to the latest results released by researchers.

It shows the vaccine is significantly less effective than previous data suggested - barely over the 50% needed for regulatory approval.

The Chinese vaccine is one of two that the Brazilian government has lined up.

Brazil has been one of the countries worst affected by Covid-19.

Sinovac, a Beijing-based biopharmaceutical company, is behind CoronaVac, an inactivated vaccine. It works by using killed viral particles to expose the body's immune system to the virus without risking a serious disease response.

Several countries, including Indonesia, Turkey and Singapore, have placed orders for the vaccine.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-55642648

 

[Gabbar Singh]

Fake news likely to cause some of UK's South Asian communities to reject Covid-19 vaccines.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Fake news likely to cause some of UK's South Asian communities to reject Covid-19 vaccines, doctor warns <a href="https://t.co/8MRjg13FZE">https://t.co/8MRjg13FZE</a></p>— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCNews/status/1350029784395505664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Tubs]

Huge conspiracy culture in Pakistani culture, I'm assuming it's the same in Indian culture, too [MENTION=7898]Gabbar Singh[/MENTION]?

My family is very working class Pakistani, dad was born in very rural Pakistan, mom was born in UK to a very poor family and lived in Pak from ages 9-13. I try to stamp out the conspiratorial nonsense and cultural traditions that make no sense (such as 'tada' and 'garam' food which makes no sense, and all these other nonsense home remedies) but I just get called a 'gora' for believing in science (unsure if that word is inappropriate to use here, but mods will edit if so). My dad only recently stopped saying that corona was a-certain-Semitic-ethnic-group-beginning-with-y-in-Urdu saazish (whom he heard from the other Pakistan uncles).

My uncles who were born here and went to uni are so sceptical of the virus and vaccine but take other ridiculous faith-based claims on face value. Very sad to see.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

There’s a similar culture amongst British Indians yes. It used to be places like Facebook where people shared such nonsense on but now it’s all on WhatsApp. At least on public forums you can debate and challenge such views but when folks are getting such news from WhatsApp videos what can you do?

Huge conspiracy culture in Pakistani culture, I'm assuming it's the same in Indian culture, too [MENTION=7898]Gabbar Singh[/MENTION]?

My family is very working class Pakistani, dad was born in very rural Pakistan, mom was born in UK to a very poor family and lived in Pak from ages 9-13. I try to stamp out the conspiratorial nonsense and cultural traditions that make no sense (such as 'tada' and 'garam' food which makes no sense, and all these other nonsense home remedies) but I just get called a 'gora' for believing in science (unsure if that word is inappropriate to use here, but mods will edit if so). My dad only recently stopped saying that corona was a-certain-Semitic-ethnic-group-beginning-with-y-in-Urdu saazish (whom he heard from the other Pakistan uncles).

My uncles who were born here and went to uni are so sceptical of the virus and vaccine but take other ridiculous faith-based claims on face value. Very sad to see.

 

[Tubs]

There’s a similar culture amongst British Indians yes. It used to be places like Facebook where people shared such nonsense on but now it’s all on WhatsApp. At least on public forums you can debate and challenge such views but when folks are getting such news from WhatsApp videos what can you do?

Ah yes, every auntie and uncle has a degree from WhatsApp university these days. The misinformation is rampant and won't be stopped, especially when the people in question are rather uneducated (which is proportionally higher in South Asians than Europeans). My Somali friends say similar things happen in their circles too.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Huge conspiracy culture in Pakistani culture, I'm assuming it's the same in Indian culture, too [MENTION=7898]Gabbar Singh[/MENTION]?

My family is very working class Pakistani, dad was born in very rural Pakistan, mom was born in UK to a very poor family and lived in Pak from ages 9-13. I try to stamp out the conspiratorial nonsense and cultural traditions that make no sense (such as 'tada' and 'garam' food which makes no sense, and all these other nonsense home remedies) but I just get called a 'gora' for believing in science (unsure if that word is inappropriate to use here, but mods will edit if so). My dad only recently stopped saying that corona was a-certain-Semitic-ethnic-group-beginning-with-y-in-Urdu saazish (whom he heard from the other Pakistan uncles).

My uncles who were born here and went to uni are so sceptical of the virus and vaccine but take other ridiculous faith-based claims on face value. Very sad to see.

Out of interest, how do they feel about you criticising & mocking them on the internet?

 

[Tubs]

Out of interest, how do they feel about you criticising & mocking them on the internet?

Trying to score easy points as usual. I tell them continuously that they believe pseudoscience, I am not mocking them.

Also, please do reply to my owning of you in the Uighur thread, the only subjugation of Muslims that you support because it's by China.

 

[Firebat]

EU anger over delayed Pfizer vaccine deliveries

Several EU countries are receiving significantly fewer doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine than expected, after the US firm slowed shipments.

Six nations called the situation "unacceptable" and warned it "decreases the credibility of the vaccination process".

Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia urged the EU to apply pressure on Pfizer-BioNTech.

Pfizer said the reduced deliveries were a temporary issue.

In a statement on Friday, the drugmaker said shipments were being affected by changes to its manufacturing processes designed to boost production.

"Although this will temporarily impact shipments in late January to early February, it will provide a significant increase in doses available for patients in late February and March," Pfizer said.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55666399

 

[Josh]

Good luck. Its to be approved in March.

Thanks ! Yeah I have already taken its shot or Placebo a few days back. So far no side effects except I felt sleepy on day 1.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Trying to score easy points as usual. I tell them continuously that they believe pseudoscience, I am not mocking them.

Also, please do reply to my owning of you in the Uighur thread, the only subjugation of Muslims that you support because it's by China.

The question was how do you feel about mocking them to random people on the internet, not what you say to them in person. Everyone has a human right to decide what or if they inject anything into their bodies.

Then you ask this lol

Ive commented all my views on that thread, try reading back.

 

[Tubs]

The question was how do you feel about mocking them to random people on the internet, not what you say to them in person. Everyone has a human right to decide what or if they inject anything into their bodies.

Then you ask this lol

Ive commented all my views on that thread, try reading back.

As I said, I wasn't mocking, just mentioning how falsities are prevalent throughout South Asian culture.


Yep, you're supporting China again. Did the Uighur women have a choice about being sterilised?

 

[Firebat]

Coronavirus vaccine supply fears grow amid EU export threat

The EU has warned Covid vaccine producers they must deliver agreed supplies, amid fears reductions could seriously hamper its inoculation drive.

AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech have both said production problems mean they cannot supply the expected numbers.

The EU warned it could restrict exports of vaccines made in the bloc, with Germany's health minister demanding "fair distribution".

The UK's vaccine minister warned of "the dead end of vaccine nationalism".

AstraZeneca is mainly produced in the UK, while the UK's supplies of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine come from the company's Belgian plant.

Vaccine supply has become a critical issue as nations seek to stem high infection rates.

Separately, the German health ministry joined AstraZeneca in strongly denying some reports in German media of a lower efficacy rate for its vaccine among older people.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55805903

 

[Firebat]

AstraZeneca-EU row escalates over vaccine shortage

The EU is urging pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to publish their vaccine contract, amid an escalating row over delivery shortfalls.

The EU is unhappy with the explanation over the production delays, but a confidentiality clause binds it from releasing the deal's details.

In an interview, the company's CEO said the contract compelled it to make its "best effort", rather than obliging it to meet a set deadline.

The two sides are set to meet later.

Earlier on Wednesday, an EU official said that AstraZeneca had pulled out of the meeting, but the company has since insisted it will attend.

Pfizer/BioNTech, which has an even bigger vaccine-production deal with the EU, is also experiencing delays.

French drug maker Sanofi has announced that it will help produce 125 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab by the end of the year.

The company will allow Germany-based BioNTech to use its facilities in Frankfurt from July, Sanofi said in a statement, having delayed the development of its own vaccine.

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55822602

 

[anand99]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/pakistan-covid-vaccines-india-000537706.html

I hope pakistan sources vaccines from India and india agrees to supply.

 

[Giannis]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/pakistan-covid-vaccines-india-000537706.html

I hope pakistan sources vaccines from India and india agrees to supply.

I hope not, Pakistan can not trust. Just like how the US and EU would never import a vaccine from Russia or China, neither should Pakistan compromise it's security and interests. They should stick with the Oxford, Pfizer, Moderna and Sinopharm vaccines.

 

[anand99]

I hope not, Pakistan can not trust. Just like how the US and EU would never import a vaccine from Russia or China, neither should Pakistan compromise it's security and interests. They should stick with the Oxford, Pfizer, Moderna and Sinopharm vaccines.

Aren't we already past that point of trust if as the article says most of the raw material for medicines are already being imported from India.

 

[Firebat]

WHO criticises EU over vaccine export controls

The World Health Organization (WHO) has criticised the EU's announcement of export controls on vaccines produced within the bloc, saying such measures risked prolonging the pandemic.

The EU introduced the measure amid a row with vaccine manufacturers over delivery shortfalls.

But WHO vice-head Mariangela Simao said it was a "very worrying trend".

Earlier WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said "vaccine nationalism" could lead to a "protracted recovery".

Speaking at the Davos Agenda - a virtual version of the global summit - he said vaccine hoarding would "keep the pandemic burning and... slow global economic recovery", in addition to being a "catastrophic moral failure" that could further widen global inequality.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55860540

 

[cricketjoshila]

Got the Oxford Aztrazeneca vaccine, produced by SII. No adverse affects yet.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

 

[Gabbar Singh]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Total coronavirus vaccine doses given. (million)<br><br>US: 27.8<br>China: 22.7<br>UK: 8.8<br>Israel: 4.6<br>India: 3.5<br>UAE: 3.1<br>Germany: 2.3<br>Brazil: 2<br>Turkey: 1.9<br>Italy: 1.8<br>Spain: 1.4<br>France: 1.3<br>Poland: 1.1<br>Russia: 1<br>Canada: 0.93<br>Romania: 0.67<br>Mexico: 0.66<br>Indonesia: 0.5<br><br>(Our World in Data)</p>— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) <a href="https://twitter.com/spectatorindex/status/1355669791835475969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Last Monetarist]

More bad news for the AstraZeneca vaccine.

https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-europe-astrazeneca/astrazeneca-vaccine-faces-resistance-in-europe-after-health-workers-suffer-side-effects-idUSL8N2KN2UH

Health authorities in some European countries are facing resistance to AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine after side-effects led hospital staff and other front-line workers to call in sick, putting extra strain on already-stretched services.

Such symptoms, as reported in clinical trials for the AstraZeneca shot, can include a high temperature or headache and are a normal sign that the body is generating an immune response. They usually fade within a day or so.

The other shots approved in Europe, developed by Pfizer and Moderna, have been linked to similar temporary side-effects, including fever and fatigue.

But with the AstraZeneca shot the latest to be rolled out, health authorities in France have issued guidance to stagger giving the shot, two regions in Sweden paused vaccinations, and in Germany some essential workers are refusing it.

A spokesman for AstraZeneca said: “Currently, the reactions reported are as we would expect based on the evidence gathered from our clinical trial programme.”

People receiving the vaccine are closely monitored through routine pharmacovigilance activities, the Anglo-Swedish drug maker said, adding that it was continuing to keep a close eye on the situation.

“There have been no confirmed serious adverse events,” the spokesman said.

In France, which started administering the AstraZeneca shot on Feb. 6, staff at a hospital in Normandy experienced stronger side-effects than seen with the alternative vaccine from Pfizer and German partner BioNTech.

“AstraZeneca caused more side-effects than the Pfizer vaccine,” said Melanie Cotigny, communications manager at Saint-Lo hospital in Normandy.

“Between 10% and 15% of those vaccinated may have side-effects from this vaccination, but it is only a feverish state, fevers, nausea and within 12 hours it goes away.”

Following similar reports from other hospitals, the French medicines safety agency said on Feb. 11 that such side-effects were “known and described” but should be subject to surveillance with regard to their intensity.

It also issued guidance to stagger vaccinations of front-line staff working together in teams to minimise the risk of disruption to operations.

The agency put out the advice after receiving 149 alerts of often strong flu-like side-effects from the AstraZeneca vaccine. During this period a total of 10,000 people received the shot nationwide.

Some U.S. hospitals and other organisations with front-line staff adopted a similar strategy when the country’s vaccination programme started in December. The United States is administering shots from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna.

In Britain, home to the AstraZeneca vaccine developed at Oxford University, the policy has been to make vaccinations readily available to hospital staff. As many work shifts, that naturally spaces out the process.

The issues in France highlight how some doctors and hospitals are still learning how best to administer vaccines as governments race to tame the pandemic and get shots in arms as quickly as possible.

It’s also the latest setback for the French vaccination campaign which has been criticised for a slow start. Last week, the government said just over 3% of the population had received their first dose.

In Sweden, two of 21 healthcare regions paused vaccinations of workers last week after a quarter called in sick after getting the AstraZeneca shot.

The Sormland and Gavleborg regions said that around 100 out of 400 people vaccinated had reported fever or fever-like symptoms. Most cases were mild and in line with previously reported side-effects.

Both regions said they would resume vaccinations, and the Swedish Medical Products Agency saw no reason to change its vaccination guidelines.

AstraZeneca’s vector-based vaccine is the third to win regulatory approval in the European Union.

As part of the European Medicines Agency’s positive recommendation on Jan. 29, the watchdog concluded it was about 60% effective, compared to more than 90% for the vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna.

It also deemed the product safe to use and it will monitor reports of side-effects as a matter of routine.

In Germany, Health Minister Jens Spahn responded on Wednesday to reports that essential workers were reluctant to receive the AstraZeneca shot after some experienced strong side-effects, saying it was both safe and effective.

“I would be vaccinated with it immediately,” Spahn told reporters.

Like most European countries, German states typically do not offer people a choice of which vaccine they will get, leading in some cases to people not turning up to appointments to get the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Germany has taken delivery of 737,000 doses from AstraZeneca but only administered 107,000, according to figures from the health ministry and the Robert Koch Institute that leads its pandemic response.

“This vaccine is an excellent way to prevent serious COVID disease,” said the health ministry in the eastern state of Saxony. “Still, we note that there are still vacant vaccination dates for AstraZeneca.

“From our point of view, it is wrong that this vaccine is available but not being used,” it said, adding that it was reallocating spare shots to teachers and public health workers.

 

[PetroDollars]

I got the Pfizer vax yday, so far just extreme fatigue and a dead arm.

 

[Giannis]

More bad news for the AstraZeneca vaccine.

https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-europe-astrazeneca/astrazeneca-vaccine-faces-resistance-in-europe-after-health-workers-suffer-side-effects-idUSL8N2KN2UH

British research and pharmacology has a failed. American pharma has won the race along with the Russians.

 

[Robert]

More bad news for the AstraZeneca vaccine.

https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-europe-astrazeneca/astrazeneca-vaccine-faces-resistance-in-europe-after-health-workers-suffer-side-effects-idUSL8N2KN2UH

I’ll go through that, no problem. Had a bad reaction to the yellow fever jab. So what? Was better than getting yellow fever.

 

[Usman]

British research and pharmacology has a failed. American pharma has won the race along with the Russians.

Not really. The Oxford jab is the only one to be tested on preventing hopsitalisation. In the whole trial of many thousands of people, only 2 people (yes just 2) ended up in hospital. Of those two people, one ended up in hopsital on day 2 after being vaccinated - too soon for any vaccine to have effect. The second person went into hospital after 10 days. The vaccines generally start to take effect after 3 weeks.

So a vaccine that generally prevents severe illness is a great vaccine. It might be that the Phzier and Moderna vaccines are even better, because less people get the mild version of the disease. But even if that is the case, that doesn't mean the Oxford jab is a bad one.

If in March 2020 someone offered us a vaccine which changes Covid from a deadly disease to a severe case of flu treatable at home, we would have all jumped at the chance to have it.

What concerns me, and what for me is a problem with all jabs, is that the vaccines will nullified by the mutations. That is what we should all be worried about, not which vaccine is good and which is bad.

 

[Giannis]

Not really. The Oxford jab is the only one to be tested on preventing hopsitalisation. In the whole trial of many thousands of people, only 2 people (yes just 2) ended up in hospital. Of those two people, one ended up in hopsital on day 2 after being vaccinated - too soon for any vaccine to have effect. The second person went into hospital after 10 days. The vaccines generally start to take effect after 3 weeks.

So a vaccine that generally prevents severe illness is a great vaccine. It might be that the Phzier and Moderna vaccines are even better, because less people get the mild version of the disease. But even if that is the case, that doesn't mean the Oxford jab is a bad one.

If in March 2020 someone offered us a vaccine which changes Covid from a deadly disease to a severe case of flu treatable at home, we would have all jumped at the chance to have it.

What concerns me, and what for me is a problem with all jabs, is that the vaccines will nullified by the mutations. That is what we should all be worried about, not which vaccine is good and which is bad.

With 66% effective rate? get outta here. The American and Russian vaccines are ~95% effective. Even the FDA won't approve the British vaccine lol.

 

[Usman]

With 66% effective rate? get outta here. The American and Russian vaccines are ~95% effective. Even the FDA won't approve the British vaccine lol.

Ok this sort of response totally ignores what I am trying to say. The vaccine is showing real world efficacy upwards of 70% with the delayed dosage regime but lets just understand what vaccine efficacy really means. It means that for every 100 people who have had the vaccine, around 30 of them are still going to get Covid when exposed to the virus. There's no doubt that the other vaccines do better on that front.

But what matters more than that is how effective the vaccine is at preventing serious illness. After all, that is why we all find ourselves in lockdown, because Covid causes a very large number of people to get seriously ill. This Oxford vaccine is proven to stop that - 100% of the people who had the vaccine developed enough immunity from day 10 that they did not end up in hospital. So what the Oxford vaccine appears to be doing is turning a disease that regularly kills people into one which some people get, but its no worse than a bad flu.

So before you start quoting vaccine efficacy stats, take time to understand how vaccines work and what actually matters here. Don't be so ignorant as to look at some headline about efficacy and make all your judgments based on that.

As far as the American and Russian vaccines are concerned, they too are great vaccines. But these efficacy stats you're quoting DO NOT apply to mutations. All vaccines are showing a worrying inability to tackle the mutuation first seen in South Africa but which is replicating itself all over the world.

Mark my words - what will really hurt us all is not whether you get one type of vaccine or another, it will be the mutations of Covid that become vaccine resistant. The question is, can science keep coming up with changes to the vaccines to address the variants or will we ultimately be left with a variant which can't be cured with any vaccine.

 

[PetroDollars]

With 66% effective rate? get outta here. The American and Russian vaccines are ~95% effective. Even the FDA won't approve the British vaccine lol.

Thats nothing alarming, it will get approval when they want it approved.

Secondly the Oxford vaccine has been tested on much much larger groups, right now its still early days we will get accurate results in 12 months for all vaccines. The Russian vaccine wouldn't even come close to the rest, it hasn't even been tested outside of russia, DO YOU BELIVE THE RUSSIAN????

Oxford vaccine is also a saviour for most of the world where people can't afford the vaccines with it just being £1.50/dose compared to the rest which are £10/dose

------------------------------------------------

"The vaccine is affordable, easy to produce and store, and has been approved by health regulators in the United Kingdom, India, and Europe, as well as several other countries. But it has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States, where it's still undergoing late-stage trials. That's led to some harsh criticism. The Mayo Clinic's Vincent Rajkumar called the delay a "huge blunder," while The Atlantic's Conor Friedersdorf described it as "the most profound impingement on my liberty I've faced." Writer Matthew Yglesias lamented a lack of pressure from lawmakers and the U.S. media for speedy approval.

For starters, AstraZeneca hasn't submitted any paperwork to the FDA, so, in short, it can't grant approval for what hasn't been requested, notes Axios' Sam Baker:"

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">AstraZeneca has not submitted this product for FDA authorization. The FDA cannot authorize products whose manufacturers aren’t asking for authorization. Political pressure on the FDA, in addition to being a thing that everyone rightly opposed when Trump did it, cannot change this <a href="https://t.co/LnsZPGz4ZG">https://t.co/LnsZPGz4ZG</a></p>— Sam Baker (@sam_baker) <a href="https://twitter.com/sam_baker/status/1356937875112230912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[MenInG]

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-india-china/chinese-hackers-target-indian-vaccine-makers-sii-bharat-biotech-says-security-firm-idUSKCN2AT21O?edition-redirect=in

A Chinese state-backed hacking group has in recent weeks targeted the IT systems of two Indian vaccine makers whose coronavirus shots are being used in the country’s immunisation campaign, cyber intelligence firm Cyfirma told Reuters.

Rivals China and India have both sold or gifted COVID-19 shots to many countries. India produces more than 60% of all vaccines sold in the world.

Goldman Sachs-backed Cyfirma, based in Singapore and Tokyo, said Chinese hacking group APT10, also known as Stone Panda, had identified gaps and vulnerabilities in the IT infrastructure and supply chain software of Bharat Biotech and the Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s largest vaccine maker.

“The real motivation here is actually exfiltrating intellectual property and getting competitive advantage over Indian pharmaceutical companies,” said Cyfirma Chief Executive Kumar Ritesh, formerly a top cyber official with British foreign intelligence agency MI6.

He said APT10 was actively targeting SII, which is making the AstraZeneca vaccine for many countries and will soon start bulk-manufacturing Novavax shots.

“In the case of Serum Institute, they have found a number of their public servers running weak web servers, these are vulnerable web servers,” Ritesh said, referring to the hackers.

“They have spoken about weak web application, they are also talking about weak content-management system. It’s quite alarming.”

China’s foreign ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

SII and Bharat Biotech declined to comment. The government-run Indian Computer Emergency Response Team, with whom Cyfirma said it had shared its findings, had no immediate comment.

The U.S. Department of Justice said in 2018 that APT10 had acted in association with the Chinese Ministry of State Security. (here)

Microsoft said here in November that it had detected cyber attacks from Russia and North Korea targeting COVID-19 vaccine companies in India, Canada, France, South Korea and the United States. North Korean hackers also tried to break into the systems of British drugmaker AstraZeneca, Reuters here has reported.

Ritesh, whose firm follows the activities of some 750 cyber criminals and monitors nearly 2,000 hacking campaigns using a tool called decipher, said it was not yet clear what vaccine-related information APT10 may have accessed from the Indian companies.

Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN shot, developed with the state-run Indian Council of Medical Research, will be exported to many countries, including Brazil.

U.S. drugmaker Pfizer Inc and its German partner BioNTech SE said in December that documents related to development of their COVID-19 vaccine had been “unlawfully accessed” in a cyberattack on Europe’s medicines regulator.

Relations between nuclear-armed neighbours China and India soured last June when 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed in a Himalayan border fight. Recent talks have eased tension.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

 

[sweep_shot]

Covid: France approves AstraZeneca vaccine for over-65s

The French government says older people with pre-existing conditions can now get AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine, revising its stance on the issue.

"People affected by co-morbidities can be vaccinated with AstraZeneca, including those aged between 65 and 74," the health minister said.

Last month France approved use of the vaccine for under-65s only, citing lack of data for older people.

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is widely used across the UK, but several EU countries are still limiting it to the under-65s, including Germany.

The EU drugs regulator has approved it for all adults, but it is up to each member to set its own rollout policy.

Speaking on France 2 television late on Monday, French Health Minister Olivier Véran said people with pre-existing conditions could get the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from GP surgeries, hospitals and "within days" from pharmacies.

Those aged over 75 will still be offered either Pfizer or Moderna jabs in a vaccination centre, he added.

In January French President Emmanuel Macron said the AstraZeneca vaccine was "quasi-ineffective" for older age groups - a claim strongly rejected at the time by the UK officials and scientists.

But as more data has emerged, French health officials have tried to convince people that it is just as safe and effective as other Covid-19 vaccine, AFP news agency reports.

Just 273,000 AstraZeneca doses have been administered in France out of 1.7m received by the end of February, health ministry figures show.

Vaccine roll-outs in many EU countries have been hit by delays. About 3m people have so far received at least one dose in France - against more than 20m in the UK, which has roughly the same population.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56242617.

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-safrica-crime/hundreds-of-fake-covid-19-vaccines-seized-in-south-africa-interpol-says-idUSKBN2AW27Q

South African police have seized hundreds of fake COVID-19 vaccines and arrested four suspects in connection with the haul, the Interpol global police co-ordination agency said.

This comes after Interpol, which is headquartered in France, issued a global alert in December to law enforcement across its 194 member countries, warning them to prepare for organised crime networks targeting COVID-19 vaccines, both physically and online.

Some 400 ampoules - equivalent to about 2,400 doses - containing the fake vaccine were found at a warehouse in Germiston, east of Johannesburg, where officers also recovered a large quantity of fake 3M masks, the agency said on Wednesday on its website.

Three Chinese nationals and a Zambian national were arrested.

The seizure and arrests in South Africa led to the identification of a network selling counterfeit COVID-19 vaccines in China, Interpol said in an emailed comment.

Police in China then raided the manufacturing premises, resulting in the arrest of some 80 suspects. More than 3,000 fake vaccines were seized on the scene, Interpol said on its website.

“Whilst we welcome this result, this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to COVID-19 vaccine related crime,” said Interpol Secretary General Juergen Stock.

Interpol said investigations are continuing and it is also receiving additional reports of fake vaccine distribution and scam attempts targeting health institutions, such as nursing homes.

 

[Buffet]

In most countries, there is no choice. Supply is limited.

 

[sweep_shot]

Covid: Italy 'blocks' AstraZeneca vaccine shipment to Australia

The Italian government has blocked the export of an Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine shipment to Australia.

The decision affects 250,000 doses of the vaccine produced at an AstraZeneca facility in Italy.

Italy is the first EU country to use the bloc's new regulations allowing exports to be stopped if the company providing the vaccines has failed to meet its obligations to the EU.

Australia said losing "one shipment" would not badly affect its rollout.

The move has been backed by the European Commission, reports say.

AstraZeneca is on track to provide only 40% of the agreed supply to member states in the first three months of the year. It has cited production problems for the shortfall.

In January, then Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte described delays in vaccine supplies by both AstraZeneca and Pfizer as "unacceptable" and accused the companies of violating their contracts.

The EU has been widely criticised for the slow pace of its vaccination programme.

Under the EU vaccine scheme, which was established in June last year, the bloc has negotiated the purchase of vaccines on behalf of member states.

There has been no official comment on the Italian move by the EU or AstraZeneca.

Australia began its vaccination programme last week using the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. It was due to start inoculations with the AstraZeneca jab on Friday.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56279202.

 

[Giannis]

In most countries, there is no choice. Supply is limited.

Well at least in the US we do, I know many counties and programs offering all 3 vaccines right now it just depends on whichever you sign up for, they let you now which vaccine they have.

 

[Firebat]

Australia asks European Commission to review Italy's vaccine block

Australia has asked the European Commission to review Italy's decision to block the export of 250,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to the country.

It is the first time new rules have been used that allow a ban on EU exports if the drug provider fails to meet its obligations to the bloc.

The move has heightened a tense dispute between AstraZeneca and EU countries over supply issues and delays.

Australia said losing "one shipment" would not badly affect its rollout.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said while he had requested the review, he could also understand why Italy made the decision.

"In Italy, people are dying at the rate of 300 a day. And so I can certainly understand the high level of anxiety that would exist in Italy and in many countries across Europe," he said.

Italy has been hit badly by the pandemic, and its decision to block the exports has reportedly been backed by the European Commission.

The country has registered more than 2.9m cases and nearly 99,000 deaths. Australia, on the other hand, has reported just over 29,000 cases and 900 deaths.

Australia's Finance Minister Simon Birmingham told Sky News: "The world is in unchartered territory at present - it's unsurprising that some countries would tear up the rule book."

There has been no official comment on the Italian move by the EU or AstraZeneca.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-56290226

 

[Saj]

COVID-19 vaccine side effects have been described as "mild" by the NHS, and people shouldn't expect them to last longer than a week. But as more people get the vaccine, health experts are learning more about its potential side effects. The CDC has just updated its list of Covid vaccine side effects, listing muscle pain, nausea and redness at the injection site.

Muscle pain

The CDC updated its vaccine guidance on March 5 and listed muscle pain among "common side effects".

According to the CDC this is a distinct symptom from the pain you may experience in the arm you got your jab in.

Nausea

Nausea was also added to the CDC's list. Nausea is a term used to describe feeling sick.

If the feeling doesn't go away after a few days, or the feeling keeps coming back, see a GP.

 

[Last Monetarist]

Developers of Russian Sputnik V vaccine doubt EU regulator's neutrality, want apology

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-russia-ema/developers-of-russian-sputnik-v-vaccine-doubt-eu-regulators-neutrality-want-apology-idUSKBN2B10VE

The developers of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 on Tuesday questioned the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) neutrality, after an official with the regulator urged EU states to refrain from approving the shot for now.

EMA management board chief Christa Wirthumer-Hoche told an Austrian talk show on Sunday that she would advise European Union countries against granting Sputnik V national emergency authorisation while EMA was still reviewing its safety and effectiveness.

“We demand a public apology from EMA’s Christa Wirthumer-Hoche for her negative comments..., (which) raise serious questions about possible political interference in the ongoing EMA review,” the developers wrote on the official Sputnik V Twitter account.

In a written response, the Amsterdam-headquartered EMA said its review process for possible vaccines makes sure that all EU countries have “access to effectively evaluated medicines at the same time and ensures centralised safety monitoring across their life cycle.”

EMA said this month it would review data from ongoing trials of the vaccine until there was enough evidence for a formal marketing authorisation application.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called Wirthumer-Hoche’s statement regrettable and inappropriate.

The developers said Sputnik V had already been authorised by 46 countries.

It has been approved or is being assessed for approval in three EU member states - Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic - and EU officials have said Brussels could start negotiations with a vaccine maker if at least four member countries request it.

Sputnik V could be manufactured for the first time in Europe outside Russia after a deal to produce it in Italy was signed by the Moscow-based RDIF sovereign wealth fund and Swiss-based pharmaceutical company Adienne.

 

[Last Monetarist]

EU's Breton expects J&J vaccine OK soon, not worried about overall second-quarter doses

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-breton-johnson-joh/eus-breton-expects-jj-vaccine-ok-soon-not-worried-about-overall-second-quarter-doses-idUSKBN2B126Z

The European Union is likely to issue its approval for the anti-COVID-19 vaccine of Johnson&Johnson soon, Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said, adding he was not worried reaching the overall EU goal for vaccines from all producers in the second quarter.

“I have the feeling that EMA will give its authorisation within the next hopefully days or hours, which is very good news because then we will have four vaccines ready to go,” Breton told a news conference.

He said the approval for Johnson&Johnson would bring the number of vaccines available in the EU to four. This will help the EU meet its target of 300 million doses in the second quarter, even if some of the producers experience problems.

Johnson & Johnson has told the European Union it was facing supply issues that may complicate plans to deliver 55 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to the bloc in the second quarter of the year, an EU official told Reuters.

“I learned that when you start to produce, it is a bumpy road. If I look at Johnson and Johnson I understand that they had some difficulties in the U.S., ... That they had to make an alliance with another company Merck,” Breton said.

“We have our target for Q2, and we have already integrated the ups and downs. I am not worried with the internal target that we have, we know that some will do better ... and some may be a little bit late,” Breton said. “So do not believe that because one company has a problem that overall it will jeopardise the whole programme,” he said.

 

[Suleiman]

One thing that I wanna address is how people think black and white about so many things, but I want to focus on vaccine and covid in general.

There’s groups who think covid is a sham and so don’t wear masks, disregarding the lives who are at risk.

Or

Covid is the end of the world and we should be in full lockdown for another year.

For vaccines: it’s either don’t take it because I have pre conceived notions about what might be in it, or yeah let me just take it eyes closed Willy nilly without doing any background research on it.

Why can’t there be a middle ground?

I’m probably going to take it but want to make an informed opinion before I take it, which will also affect which vaccine I choose.

My close friend who thought covid was nothing last year now is registering for the vaccine and saying yeah man don’t be a skeptic just choose one it’s just a vaccine when I said I’m going to take some time to think which one I wanna get.

Probably be Pfizer though.

 

[pakistani pride]

One thing that I wanna address is how people think black and white about so many things, but I want to focus on vaccine and covid in general.

There’s groups who think covid is a sham and so don’t wear masks, disregarding the lives who are at risk.

Or

Covid is the end of the world and we should be in full lockdown for another year.

For vaccines: it’s either don’t take it because I have pre conceived notions about what might be in it, or yeah let me just take it eyes closed Willy nilly without doing any background research on it.

Why can’t there be a middle ground?

I’m probably going to take it but want to make an informed opinion before I take it, which will also affect which vaccine I choose.

My close friend who thought covid was nothing last year now is registering for the vaccine and saying yeah man don’t be a skeptic just choose one it’s just a vaccine when I said I’m going to take some time to think which one I wanna get.

Probably be Pfizer though.

There is a middle ground but anyone who dares to speak up against the lockdowns and danger of covid-19 is pushed in a corner.

The world acts is if covid is the biggest and only challenge we face.

But just look at Pakistan. A country with 8.000 deaths per day, child abuse, massive poverty etc but yet no one speaks about it.

On the other side the whole country is in turmoil when a few cricket players test positive for covid but are perfectly allright....