2 vaccines have been introduced in the US, one invented by Pfizer/BioNTech (BNT162b2) and the other vaccine given by Moderna (mRNA-1273).
CURRENT COVID-19 VACCINATION
List of abbreviations:
o FDA: Food and Drug Administration.
o US: The United States,
o mRNA: messenger RNA.
o CDC: The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
o im/m: Immunocompromised.
o RCT: randomized, placebo-controlled trials,
2 vaccines have been introduced in the US, one invented by Pfizer/BioNTech (BNT162b2) and the other vaccine given by Moderna (mRNA-1273); both vaccines are working through a novel mRNA technique. In both vaccines, the mRNA introduces the instructions to modify the COVID-19 “spiky” proteins - the prickly projections present on the viral surface that is designed like the rubber balls dogs loving to chase or like the porcupine quills.
Once the vaccine material has been injected, the mRNA could be engulfed up by the macrophage present near the injected site and ordered these cells to manufacture the spiky protein. This spiky protein became apparent on the surface of these macrophages, leading to an immune response mimicking same way we naturally fighting off infectious episodes and protecting the body from naturally occurring infection with COVID-19. Enzymatic system in the body then degrades & metabolise the mRNA. NO living virus has been introduced, and NO genetic material entangling the cell nucleus. Despite these vaccines are the 1st given mRNA vaccines for broad testing and applied in the clinical practice, scientists have been struggling for mRNA vaccines for many years. Despite this talent parody invention considering that technology is “clear,” in fact the breakthrough insight is putting the mRNA to be entangled in a lipid coat to prevent its degradation is entirely brilliant. The New England Journal of Medicine Jan 2021.
What is known about each vaccine’s efficacy?
Fortunately, both vaccines are evidently effective. In TWO large clinical studies, Efficacy & Safety of mRNA-1273 SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine, introduced by L.R. Baden et al., & Safety & Efficacy of BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine. introduced by F.P. Polack et al., enrolling tens of thousands of people, both vaccines succeeded to lower the chance of Covid-19 infection development by almost 95% in comparison to placebo. Sometimes a given results are too robust up to we need no to emphasize via statistical analysis – this is what was observed with both clinical studies. The given data were that good.
Despite we consider data from the RCT to be the most robust level of clinical evidence, more details make these results eventually more compelling. Firstly, these vaccines prevented not only any illness related to Covid-19, but- more importantly- intense disease. Prohibition of a clinically severe disease may convert the COVID-19 from a real threat into more of a nuisance, like a common cold. Secondly, the trial enrolled participants were entirely representative of ALL U.S. population categories i.e., age, sex, race, & ethnicity all totally represented. Thirdly, while both vaccines have been adminstrated as two doses, partial protection became evident just 10-14 ds after the 1st dose. The observed efficacy after the 1st dose may raise the inquiry about if we can vaccinate twice as many subjects with single dose rather than administrating full 2-dose schedule. However, the 95% vaccination efficacy are currently coming after the 2nd dose that usually boosting the immune response and induce more durability. Until now, in the US, CDC & FDA have the recommendation to proceed with the double-dose schedule as long as available.
Generally, these impressive data recognize the two mRNA vaccines up there with the most effective given vaccines to date - more likely as measles than influenza vaccines, at least in the short run. The reported protection after vaccinations is far better than anyone could expect that is why many specialists in infection control, virology, immunology, as well as public health became downright giddy if they invited to discuss the vaccines’ efficacy.
An important debate regarding the satisfactory results in clinical studies is that the clinical behavior of the vaccines -the efficacy- could vary. Considering the trial population in both trials was including subjects at higher risk for COVID-19 sequels, volunteers had to be clinically stable with satisfactory health status to continue their regular study visits. Until now, we cannot predict how much effective the vaccine (s) will be in a sicker cohort, e.g., frail elderlies of incredibly old age in nursing homes, or the severely im/m. Population-based trials including hundreds of thousands of subjects eventually will provide us an honest sensation of these “real world” -related data. (Jan 2021)
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