Covid-19 Vaccine

UK and Russian scientists are teaming up to trial a combination of the Oxford-AstraZeneca and Sputnik V vaccines to see if protection against Covid-19 can be improved.

Does mixing two similar vaccines could lead to a better immune response in people? The trials, to be held in Russia, will involve over-18s, although it's not clear how many people will be involved.

A highly anticipated COVID-19 vaccine has delivered some encouraging but head-scratching results. The vaccine developed by the University of Oxford, UK, and pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca was found to be, on average, 70% effective in a preliminary analysis of phase III trial data, the developers announced in a press release on 23 November.

But the analysis found a striking difference in efficacy depending on the amount of vaccine delivered to a participant. A regimen consisting of 2 full doses given a month apart seemed to be just 62% effective. But, surprisingly, participants who received a lower amount of the vaccine in the first dose and then the full amount in the second dose were 90% less likely to develop COVID-19 than were participants in the placebo arm.

The researchers are still collecting data on the effectiveness of the vaccine in older age groups while waiting for approval from the UK regulator, the MHRA.

AstraZeneca said it was exploring combinations of different adenovirus vaccines to find out whether mixing them leads to a better immune response and, therefore, greater protection , Maybe not?

Both use harmless viruses to deliver the important part of the vaccine (a bit of the coronavirus' genetic code) into the body.

The risk is the body becomes immune to the "viral postman" making the second or booster jab less effective. And that is what I trust as an educated guess. The strongest will take over.

This is one explanation for why Oxford had better results from giving someone a half dose followed by a full one, rather than two normal doses. The British-made Oxford vaccines, developed in partnership with AstraZeneca, and the Russian Sputnik vaccine, developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute in Moscow, are similar because they both contain genetic material from the Sars-CoV-2 spike protein.

We know that scientists used a new protein called KHNYN; it has been identified as a missing piece in a natural antiviral system that kills viruses by targeting a specific pattern in viral genomes in HIV virus.

Does the strongest protein in the Covid-19 virus kill the weakest virus and weaken the weakest protein? How the doses are calculated? If each protein from the genetic part of the covid-19 virus DNA can make antibodies, what will happen to those 2 antibodies at the same host? Do they cancel each other? Kill each other? Or Weakened each other? These questions are not answered yet. Sometimes when we give 2 antibiotics they can cancel each other and they have to be specific antibiotics.

You might think that combining two antibiotics would be a great strategy to take down a nasty disease fast. Think again. A new study suggests that such a two-pronged attack can backfire badly by giving super-resistant bacteria the opportunity they need to come out on top in the struggle for resources.

One way to fight a particularly stubborn infection is to prescribe two drugs at once that attack it in alternate ways for example, two antibiotics can disrupt two different parts of the bacteria's protein-building machinery. Drugs that cooperate this way are called "synergistic," and doctors use such powerful multi pronged attacks to battle HIV, tuberculosis, and even cancer. The strategy is thought not only to kill pathogens more effectively, but also to delay the emergence of resistance.

Some doctors also prescribe paired-up antibiotics to fight nasty infections such as the notoriously resilient staph infection methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). But while laboratory experiments have shown that some antibiotics work well together in the short term, little is known about how well the combos perform over many days. The 2 DNA proteins from Covid virus do not answer the problem of mutation? And the generation of new protein that might cause us a different problem?

I know viruses are not bacteria, but we know that Antibiotics can act as a powerful defensive line against bacterial infections. They're remarkably effective at killing the harmful bacteria that cause disease. Unfortunately, they also come with a cost.

"Antibiotics play a critical role in fighting bacterial infections, but taking these medications can also lead to adverse reactions including nausea, cramp, pain, drug allergies, antibiotic-associated diarrhea and yeast infections. So how about taken the vaccine against Covid-19 does it activate the good bacteria in your gut to fight back and die in process? Do the 2 doses of different proteins from Covid-19 virus create a new super protein? or weaken both and then allow the Covid -19 virus to change its coat and adopt and be stronger ?These are just some of my questions and concerns?

As we know that Gram positive bacteria have a thick peptidoglycan layer and no outer lipid membrane whilst Gram negative bacteria have a thin peptidoglycan layer and have an outer lipid membrane. Covid-19 also has Lipids coating in the crown so does that mean that gram negative bacteria can stand strong against the viral attack, as antibiotics cannot kill viruses but at least it can kill other bacterial infection that will be caused by the side effects of the virus?

We know that Bacteriophage, a name that literally means “bacteria-eating” are viruses that target, infect, and destroy different strains of bacteria. Scientists suggested that there are an estimated 1031 bacteriophage particles on the planet.

Different phages target different bacterial strains, however. For this reason, identifying which agent matches which bacterium can be a challenging trial and error task. So can we use those Bacteriophage to kill Covid-19 virus after we genetically alter its protein to create super phages?

For general information;

Vaccination is a simple, safe, and effective way of protecting people against harmful diseases, before they come into contact with them. It uses your body’s natural defenses to build resistance to specific infections and makes your immune system stronger.

Vaccines protect against  many different diseases , including:

• Cervical cancer, Cholera, Diphtheria, Hepatitis B, Influenza, Japanese encephalitis, Measles, Meningitis, Mumps, Pertussis, Pneumonia, Polio, Rabies, Rotavirus, Rubella, Tetanus, Typhoid, Varicella, Yellow fever, etc.

Vaccines train your immune system to create antibodies, just as it does when it’s exposed to a disease. However, because vaccines contain only killed or weakened forms of germs like viruses or bacteria, they do not cause the disease or put you at risk of its complications. Most vaccines are given by an injection, but some are given orally (by mouth) or sprayed into the nose.

The most commonly used vaccines have been around for decades, with millions of people receiving them safely every year. As with all medicines, every vaccine must go through extensive and rigorous testing to ensure it is safe before it can be introduced in a country.?

An experimental vaccine is first tested in animals to evaluate its safety and potential to prevent disease. It is then tested in human clinical trials, in three phases:

• In phase I, the vaccine is given to a small number of volunteers to assess its safety, confirm it generates an immune response, and determine the right dosage.
• In phase II, the vaccine is usually given to hundreds of volunteers, who are closely monitored for any side effects, to further assess its ability to generate an immune response. In this phase, data are also collected whenever possible on disease outcomes, but usually not in large enough numbers to have a clear picture of the effect of the vaccine on disease.

Participants in this phase have the same characteristics (such as age and sex) as the people for whom the vaccine is intended. In this phase, some volunteers receive the vaccine and others do not, which allows comparisons to be made and conclusions drawn about the vaccine.

• In phase III, the vaccine is given to thousands of volunteers – some of whom receive the investigational vaccine, and some of whom do not, just like in phase II trials. Data from both groups is carefully compared to see if the vaccine is safe and effective against the disease it is designed to protect against.

 Vaccination is a safe and effective way to prevent disease and save lives , now more than ever. Today there are vaccines available to protect against at least 20 diseases, such as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, influenza and measles. Together, these vaccines save the lives of up to 3 million people every year.

When we get vaccinated, we aren’t just protecting ourselves, but also those around us. Some people, like those who are seriously ill, are advised not to get certain vaccines – so they depend on the rest of us to get vaccinated and help reduce the spread of disease. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination continues to be critically important. The pandemic has caused a decline in the number of children receiving routine immunizations, which could lead to an increase in illness and death from preventable diseases.

Vaccines work by training and preparing the body’s natural defenses, the immune system, to recognize and fight off viruses and bacteria. If the body is exposed to those disease-causing pathogens later, it will be ready to destroy them quickly which prevents illness.

When a person gets vaccinated against a disease, their risk of infection is also reduced – so they’re also far less likely to transmit the disease to others. As more people in a community get vaccinated, fewer people remain vulnerable, and there is less possibility for passing the pathogen on from person to person. 

Lowering the possibility for a pathogen to circulate in the community protects those who cannot be vaccinated due to other serious health conditions from the disease targeted by the vaccine. This is called “herd immunity.”

“Herd immunity” exists when a high percentage of the population is vaccinated, making it difficult for infectious diseases to spread, because there are not many people who can be infected. But herd immunity only works if most people are vaccinated. In my educated guess it should be at least 75 to 90% . At the same time, herd immunity does not protect against all vaccine-preventable diseases. For example, tetanus is caught from bacteria in the environment, not from other people, so those who are unimmunized are not protected from the disease even if most of the rest of the community is vaccinated. 

 Nearly everyone can get vaccinated. However, because of some medical conditions, some people should not get certain vaccines, or should wait before getting them. These conditions can include:

Chronic illnesses or treatments (like chemotherapy) that affect the immune system;

Severe and life-threatening allergies to vaccine ingredients, which are very rare;

If you have severe illness and a high fever on the day of vaccination

These factors often vary for each vaccine. If you’re not sure if you or your child should get a particular vaccine, talk to your health worker. They can help you make an informed choice about vaccination for you or your child.

Two key reasons to get vaccinated are to protect ourselves and to protect those around us. Because not everyone can be vaccinated – including very young babies, those who are seriously ill or have certain allergies – they depend on others being vaccinated to ensure they are also safe from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Vaccines protect us throughout life and at different ages, from birth to childhood, as teenagers and into old age. In most countries you will be given a vaccination card that tells you what vaccines you or your child have had and when the next vaccines or booster doses are due. It is important to make sure that all these vaccines are up to date.

If we delay vaccination, we are at risk of getting seriously sick. If we wait until we think we may be exposed to a serious illness – like during a disease outbreak – there may not be enough time for the vaccine to work and to receive all the recommended doses.

Why does vaccination start at such a young age?

Young children can be exposed to diseases in their daily life from many different places and people and this can put them at serious risk. WHO-recommended vaccination schedule is designed to protect infants and young children as early as possible. Infants and young children are often at the greatest risk from diseases because their immune systems are not yet fully developed, and their bodies are less able to fight off infection. It is therefore very important that children are vaccinated against diseases at the recommended time.

Steve Ramsey

PhD-Public Health, MSc - Medical ultrasound. PgD- Natural Health

Okotoks, Alberta