Scientific Challenges in Making CoronaVirus Vaccine
#CoronavirusVaccine #CovidVaccine
Hello & welcome friends, we all are desperately waiting for the coronavirus vaccine as most of us do feel that it’s the only way to get out of this horrible pandemic. Even though pharma companies are making certain sporadic announcements on the vaccine research but the question still remains as to when the vaccine will arrive and why exactly is it taking so much of time.
All our expectations about vaccine is too high and government is also laying billions of dollars in hope of getting the first hand shots in their country for the citizens but the problem is there is no vaccine that has yet proven effective.
The best people to share an opinion about this are the experts and World Health Organisation. So
WHAT WHO SAYS :
World Health Organisation director general Tedros Adhanom warned that “there is no silver bullet at the moment and there might never be”.
WHAT EXPERTS SAY :
Similarly experts say there is still a long way to go before we know if any of the experimental vaccines will be effective, and longer still before any approved products are distributed around the world to offer a shot at
global herd immunity
CHALLENGE FOR COVID VACCINE : UNCERTAINTY
Vaccinologist Jon Andrus said development of an effective vaccine was not a sure shot.“It’s dangerous for us to be putting all of our eggs in one basket – that a vaccine will become available and this is going to save the day – and forget to remain focused on what we should be doing this very moment,” he said.
That included widespread testing, case identification and tracing, wearing masks, maintaining hygiene and social distancing, said Andrus, a former deputy director of the Pan American Health Organisation, the WHO’s regional office in the Americas.But looking at the amount of research and commitment of the governments all over the world the picture is not all that dark. There are surely some reasons to be optimistic.
RESULTS DEPENDS ON HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE VACCINATED ?
The result of the vaccine turning the table in this pandemic depends on how many people are vaccinated?
A vaccine ideally works by protecting a person from becoming infected by a pathogen. The more people that are immunised, the harder it is for that pathogen to spread in a community, reducing infection risk and increasing protection for everyone.
Part of the challenge with any Covid-19 vaccine will be a sheer numbers game. Despite early efforts to ramp up manufacturing capability, there are likely to be shortages for months or years, depending on which candidates are successful.
Supplies will become more stretched if two doses are needed per immunisation, or boosters after a shorter stretch of time.
VACCINE HESITANCY
Then there is a problem called vaccine hesitancy where in people with access to such vaccines choose not to take the shot over safety concerns or a lack of trust in science or government. A poll by the Centre for Public Affairs Research found only about half of Americans were prepared to get the vaccine. And this hesitancy is not limited to the US.
The biggest challenge is getting sufficient people vaccinated to induce herd immunity, and in some countries it’s probably not going to be a problem and in others it’s going to be a huge problem.
HOW MUCH POPULATION SHOULD BE VACCINATED ?
There is term called threshold for herd immunity –It is the percentage of people who should be immunized to significantly slow down the transmission of the disease.It is usually pitched at 60 to 70 per cent. But some experts, in looking at how widespread and contagious Covid-19 is proving to be, suggest much higher figures.
Dr.Kirman agrees the threshold for “robust herd immunity” will be in the 90s.
The virus will continue to circulate if enough people are not vaccinated which could open up another problem, apart from the ongoing risk of the disease. So far, the new coronavirus has been genetically relatively stable, but that could change over time.
If immunisation was not widespread or differed between countries, “down the track, mutated forms of the virus may actually pose challenges if different strains capable of escaping vaccine control emerge”.
Most experts are optimistic that vaccines can be developed to provide some level of protection against Covid-19, and that they will be improved with further advancements.
Testing and tracing, frequent handwashing, mask-wearing and social distancing will need to be maintained, while vaccines are being rolled out.
“The biggest takeaway is that people need to be diligent about doing the things that the health authorities have recommended them to do to reduce the spread of this virus,”.
“If you don’t do that, technology [like vaccines] may prove to be disappointing, but if you do that then technology could be a very important tool to complete control of the infection.”.
