Contents
The COVID-19 vaccine is the most anticipated preparation in recent years. Currently, over 165 clinical trials on the vaccine are underway worldwide, and several dozen of them are already being tested on humans. The more advanced the research, the more unknowns appear. One is how many doses of the vaccine will provide adequate protection against the virus.
Two vaccinations for COVID-19?
It is increasingly likely that one dose of the vaccine will not be sufficient to obtain immunity to the virus. As we read in the article prepared by CNN, such a turn of events can be a real challenge.
Difficulties in purchasing protective equipment and test kits, as well as equipment for hospital rooms (including ventilators) at the beginning of the pandemic indicate problems with supply chains. This shows that the distribution of the vaccine, especially more than one dose, can be difficult. This is a problem not only for the United States, but for the whole world.
Suffice it to recall the conversations at the beginning of the pandemic with doctors and nurses in hospitals. Everything was missing: masks, gloves, protective suits, and their wholesale prices were 100%. higher than before the pandemic.
- Coronavirus in hospitals. Speculation like in war. Doctors: the state must react
The second difficulty results from the “human factor”. The COVID-19 vaccine is very questionable, and while experts have no doubt that the development and implementation of a vaccine will be of paramount importance in managing the pandemic, the reluctance to vaccinate is high. A CNN poll found that 1/3 of Americans will not be vaccinated against COVID-19, even if vaccination is widely available and cheap. Persuading people to come to the vaccine more than once can be really difficult.
“There is no doubt that this will be the most complex, largest immunization program in human history, and it will require effort and a kind of sophistication we’ve never tried before,” said Dr. Kelly Moore, professor of health policy at Vanderbilt University.
- The US wants to fight vaccine opponents. The government has a lot to do in this regard
Progress in vaccine development in the US
So far, as part of Warp Speed, an initiative to bring the COVID-19 vaccine to market, the U.S. federal government has donated research money to six pharmaceutical companies.
Two of them – Moderna and Pfizer – are currently in the third phase of large-scale clinical trials. Each company works with 30 volunteers who receive two doses of vaccination. In the case of Moderna, the vaccination interval is 000 days. Pfizer is testing the 28-day interval.
Astra Zeneca will also start Phase 1 clinical trials soon. In Phase 2 and 28, she tested two doses of the vaccine given XNUMX days apart. Novavax, which also used two doses of the vaccine in earlier studies, is also embarking on the third phase of the trial.
In the case of Johnson & Johnson, in an upcoming Phase XNUMX trial, some volunteers will receive one dose and some will receive two doses of the vaccine. The last company – Sanofi, has not yet announced whether the vaccine they are preparing will consist of one or two doses.
See: What do we know about COVID-19 vaccines? Will Our Country win the race against other countries?
Not only does the COVID-19 vaccine require more than one dose
The fact that the COVID-19 vaccine can be given in more than one dose is not surprising. There are many vaccinations on the vaccination calendar that require more than one dose. Suffice it to mention, for example, vaccination against hepatitis B, combined vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, or the polio vaccine.
Some scientists also speculate that we will have to vaccinate against COVID-19 every year, similar to the flu vaccination. Will it be like that? Time will tell.
The editorial board recommends:
- When will the pandemic end? Are Bill Gates’ predictions real?
- SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus Resistance. What do we know about her? [WE EXPLAIN]
- Fourth confirmed case of coronavirus recurrence. Different than the previous ones