We have grown together with a sense of constant fear for our lives and a pandemic. It seems that there is no end to the coronavirus infection and all that remains for us is the search for effective protection against this scourge. Perhaps she has already been found?
The concept of “vaccine cocktail” itself, of course, does not exist in the vocabulary of specialists, but ingenuity is more than enough. That is why, recently, among those who decided to protect themselves from covid, the principle of mixing vaccines has gained popularity. Despite the species diversity of drugs, they still have one task – to induce an immune response through a weakened version of the virus. And if this is true, then the more the better, right?
Of course, this does not mean that you need to urgently run to the nearest vaccination station with a request to mix you an explosive mixture of all available drugs! Sufficient immunity should be developed after one, and the harm to an organism subjected to severe viral attacks (albeit in a mild form) can be much higher than the benefit.
Nevertheless, the “vaccine cocktail” is gaining some popularity. For example, back in January 2021, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorized the first coronavirus vaccine to be given with one drug and the second with another. Of course, this permission was for exceptional cases, but the agency noted that, in principle, vaccines are not interchangeable, and “the safety and efficacy of the batch of mixed products has not been evaluated.”
In addition, it turned out that the administration of AstraZeneca and Pfizer simultaneously forms a stronger immune system. In the study, scientists from Oxford combined different vaccines at different intervals.
And what about Russia?
Russia and a cocktail from Sputnik
Following their American colleagues, Russian scientists also became interested in the effectiveness of “mixing” several drugs. For example, the Ministry of Health has approved in Russia clinical trials of a “vaccine cocktail” – a combination of AstraZeneca and Sputnik Light vaccines.
Russian developers are still in the process of studying the possibility of improving the immune response and adjusting the vaccination schedules. “Cocktails” really work and are able to give a positive effect, but how safe it is in each specific case, it is impossible to say yet.
“Joint use of covid vaccines is possible. For example, mRNA vaccines and adenovirus vector vaccines can be combined. In this case, the research work is carried out in relation to Pfizer and AstraZeneca. Research on the joint use of the Sputnik V vaccine and AstraZeneca is under way. I think that this scheme will work, as well as using only the Sputnik V vaccine. No miracles should be expected. In the case of third world countries, where there is an acute shortage of vaccines and where part of the vaccines can be supplied by AstraZeneca and part by Sputnik V, they can be used jointly or separately, “said Nikolay Kryuchkov, General Director of the contract research company Clinical Excellence Group.
So, as the saying goes, “think for yourself, decide for yourself …”, but do not forget to visit the doctor before vaccination and still get a consultation.
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