Another vaccine has been approved for fighting COVID 19! Regulators in the UK have approved Oxford University/ AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine. It will be rolled out in the UK on January 4, 2021; this is welcome news as the region struggles with a new wave and strain of the virus. In comparison to its predecessors Oxford/AstraZeneca is cheaper and easier to store. It does not require to be stored at freezing temperatures making it easier to transport and distribute in developing countries. It can be stored at refrigerator temperatures of 2 – 8 degrees Celsius (36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit. The UK has 100 million doses on order, but the vaccine will be available to other parts of the world as soon as other nations give approval.
Low and middle- income countries stand to benefit significantly as AstraZeneca has promised to deliver hundreds of millions of doses to them on a not-for-profit basis. Because of its composition which makes it easy to distribute, the vaccine is being touted to be able to “quickly protect millions more around the world.” Its ease of use will enable it to be administered by pharmacists as they do the flue shot; it can be given in prisons, health care facilities and nursing homes. Like the others it is to be delivered in two doses, however the major difference is that the doses are given 12 weeks apart. It has been theorized that the longer period between the shots will hasten the treatment of larger numbers. According to Pascal Seoriot, the company’s chief executive, “we will be able to inject a lot of people quickly, provide them with a reasonably good dose of protection until they get their second dose 2 or 3 months later, that will enable us to protect many more people because they can wait 2 – 3 months for the second dose.”
CNN reports that in a televised briefing, Dr June Raine, Chief Executive of the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said the vaccine could save “tens of thousands of lives” and that she also insisted that the public could have every confidence in its safety, effectiveness and quality.” According to the report, she went on to say, “our teams of scientists, and clinicians have very carefully, methodically and rigorously reviewed all the data on safety, on effectiveness and on quality as soon as they have become available, and have done so around the clock, looking at all the tests and trials… no corners whatsoever have been cut.”
The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is understandably elated and took to Twitter to say, “truly fantastic news… and a triumph for British science. We will now move to vaccinate as many people as possible.” A win against COVID-19 by any nation or individual is a win for all; therefore, the rest of the world should join in celebrating the new development.
