COVID-19: Vaccine and testing procedures Megathread Part 2 [Mod Warning - Post #1]

salmocab

is_that_so wrote: »

The current huge surge has focused minds a whole lot more. That and prediction of this going on for another year.

That’s definitely it alright. I’m sure there’ll be people at the end who will decide to skip it when things are looking better.

Morries Wigs

would it make sense for pfizer to let other manufactruring companies to produce their vaccine to pump up production and get this done asap

irishgeo

Morries Wigs wrote: »

would it make sense for pfizer to let other manufactruring companies to produce their vaccine to pump up production and get this done asap

But the Pfizer isn't suitable for everyone and not really suited for mass rollout due to its storage conditions.

cityboyjim

Morries Wigs wrote: »

would it make sense for pfizer to let other manufactruring companies to produce their vaccine to pump up production and get this done asap

Great idea.They will have to release it eventually anyway .Compensate them and release it to all to manufacture it .Storage can be managed easily

irishgeo

cityboyjim wrote: »

Great idea.They will have to release it eventually anyway .Compensate them and release it to all to manufacture it .Storage can be managed easily

it's not going to happen.

Amirani

Morries Wigs wrote: »

would it make sense for pfizer to let other manufactruring companies to produce their vaccine to pump up production and get this done asap

One of the big issues here is that the world doesn't really have enough of the sort of production facilities that are capable of making the mRNA vaccines (particularly Pfizer) as it's quite new technology and fairly specialised. This was anticipated in the middle of last year and is being worked on; new facilities and existing facilities being adapted. It's not really a financial thing, if other companies had the facilities then they'd make the economics work.

By contrast, the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine can produced in many traditional vaccine manufacturing facilities. India is the world's largest manufacturer of vaccines and has been producing lots of this.

CIARAN_BOYLE

I believe there was an announcement recently that one of the companies whose rna vaccine is phase 3 trials would make the Pfizer vaccine if their own vaccine failed trials or wasn't competitive.

Their factories are almost ready and it would be much easier to convert a rna vaccine factory to an rna vaccine factory than to build a greenfield site vaccine factory.

Hmmzis

irishgeo wrote: »

it's not going to happen.

CureVac are on record stating that they will produce the Pfizer/BNT vaccine if their own one doesn't produce results by April or the results are not good.

Happydays2020

https://www.businesspost.ie/health/state-in-bid-to-stock-up-on-astrazeneca-vaccine-ahead-of-approval-1f63adac

Good news.

Marhay70

Happydays2020 wrote: »

https://www.businesspost.ie/health/state-in-bid-to-stock-up-on-astrazeneca-vaccine-ahead-of-approval-1f63adac

Good news.

It is good news but the frustrating part is that everybody who is anybody is confident the AZ vaccine will be approved except the EMA.

is_that_so

Marhay70 wrote: »

It is good news but the frustrating part is that everybody who is anybody is confident the AZ vaccine will be approved except the EMA.

They are reviewing the data on it and will give an answer in 12 days. A thorough review rather than a quick decision for the sake of it is a much wiser choice.

Doc07

ceadaoin. wrote: »

They've already concluded by postmortems that 13 of the deaths were directly caused by the vaccine so far. It wasn't just a random coincidence that they died.

You need to try harder than that. They absolutely didn’t conclude that.

Marhay70

is_that_so wrote: »

They are reviewing the data on it and will give an answer in 12 days. A thorough review rather than a quick decision for the sake of it is a much wiser choice.

I'm not suggesting the cautious approach is not the right approach.

Micky 32

Doc07 wrote: »

You need to try harder than that. They absolutely didn’t conclude that.

That’s what you’re up against on here :rolleyes:

CIARAN_BOYLE

Marhay70 wrote: »

It is good news but the frustrating part is that everybody who is anybody is confident the AZ vaccine will be approved except the EMA.

To be honest I think the real question is what dosage regimen will be approved. Also what caveats will be on its use.

Norway has now suspended of the Pfizer vaccine on people who are clinically frailty scale 9. Perhaps a more in depth scrutinisation prior to approval would have seen that decision made prior to approval. Or maybe there's not an issue and Norway are over reacting. I don't know.

Shortly after approval of the Pfizer vaccien the UK had to suspend vaccination of people with history of anaphylaxis. I believe they later resumed vaccination with a monitoring regimen for a period of time after vaccination. I'm not sure. They definitely should have known to do that from the data.

Regarding dosage most of the Astra Zenaca trials was done with 2 doses 3 weeks apart. It showed comparatively poor but still useful efficacy.

The manufacturers are now pushing 2 doses 12 weeks apart. They say it will have better efficacy but the information is very limited.

Im fairly confident Oxford will be approved (eventually, they may put it back if there's trials results coming on the 12 week thing. I'm not sure) but I'm not sure about the dosage.
What will the EMA go for?

josip

ceadaoin. wrote: »

They've already concluded by postmortems that 13 of the deaths were directly caused by the vaccine so far. It wasn't just a random coincidence that they died.

13 have been autopsied, with the results suggesting that common side effects may have contributed to severe reactions in frail, elderly people, according to the Norwegian Medicines Agency.

Spot the difference :rolleyes:

AdamD

Happydays2020 wrote: »

https://www.businesspost.ie/health/state-in-bid-to-stock-up-on-astrazeneca-vaccine-ahead-of-approval-1f63adac

Good news.

Good to see them being proactive on this

Micky 32

More from RTE:

“The Government has requested early deliveries of the AstraZeneca vaccine so that it is ready to be administered in GP clinics, pharmacies and vaccination centres as soon as it is approved later this month.

The vaccine has been described as a "game changer" in the country's vaccination programme because it is easier to store and because Ireland is entitled to 3.3 million doses of it.

A spokesperson for Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly confirmed to RTÉ News that discussions are under way to secure early deliveries so that vaccinations can begin immediately after its expected approval in two weeks' time.

The minister has made a request to acquire shipments in advance and this is being "actively pursued" the spokesperson said.“

Sky King

salmocab wrote: »

Quite anecdotal but I’ve spoken to a few people who have said that originally they wouldn’t have been keen on it but at this stage will take pretty much anything offered.

I'm hoping that one 'positive' (if you can call it that) coming out of this pandemic is the decline of the antivax movement.

is_that_so

Sky King wrote: »

I'm hoping that one 'positive' (if you can call it that) coming out of this pandemic is the decline of the antivax movement.

Seeing it all around you tends to do that to people.

Harry Palmr

Micky 32 wrote: »

More from RTE:

“The Government has requested early deliveries of the AstraZeneca vaccine so that it is ready to be administered in GP clinics, pharmacies and vaccination centres as soon as it is approved later this month.

The vaccine has been described as a "game changer" in the country's vaccination programme because it is easier to store and because Ireland is entitled to 3.3 million doses of it.

A spokesperson for Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly confirmed to RTÉ News that discussions are under way to secure early deliveries so that vaccinations can begin immediately after its expected approval in two weeks' time.

The minister has made a request to acquire shipments in advance and this is being "actively pursued" the spokesperson said.“

By what means? Asking nicely isn't going to cut it. Everyone will be after AZ so what makes Ireland think it has got a better chance? The report above contains no specifics. Also cue jumping if that's what it is will be frowned upon - Germany is getting some stick within the EU for perceptions of using muscle to grab extra Pfizer doses.

Russman

Harry Palmr wrote: »

By what means? Asking nicely isn't going to cut it. Everyone will be after AZ so what makes Ireland think it has got a better chance? The report above contains no specifics. Also cue jumping if that's what it is will be frowned upon - Germany is getting some stick within the EU for perceptions of using muscle to grab extra Pfizer doses.

I don’t think we’re looking for anything outside the agreement, just getting our shipments in early. I wonder does Adrian Hill being Irish have any bearing on it.

WoollyRedHat

Wolf359f wrote: »

I'd be interested in reading about treatments, as apart from a vaccine, treatments haven't been so effective for the most part (compared to a vaccine I mean)
Most treatments seem to focus on faster recovery and not preventing deaths etc... Maybe as they are re-purposing drugs as it's the quickest option.
One would have though there was some new drugs that can do wonders, but like MRNA vaccines, was never called upon with such urgency.

It's actually a 'at-source' treatment and they are currently running clinical treatments in UK (since January 11th) in If success of Phase I trials are replicated, they'll go straight to emergency approval in Canada and then go to Phase IV.

New nasal spray that allegedly kills 99.9% of the novel coronavirus has entered clinical trials that will begin today, according to a press release from the producers, the SaNOtize Research and Development Corporation.


The spray works by killing the virus in the upper airways, which prevents it from incubating and spreading into the lungs.

It has proven to be 99.9% effective in killing the coronavirus in independent lab tests conducted at Utah State University’s Antiviral Research Institute. Other studies have also shown a 95% reduction in COVID-19 infection based on rodent tests.


The SaNOtize treatment should be thought of as an effective treatment for the upper airways, similar to when people use hand sanitizers to clean their hands on the outside of the body,” Wilson said. "When people are potentially exposed, they will spray to cleanse their upper airways and kill the virus, before it can cause serious illness."

https://m.jpost.com/health-science/nasal-spray-to-fight-covid-begins-clinical-trails-in-uk-654990/amp?__twitter_impression=true

Melanchthon

is_that_so wrote: »

They are reviewing the data on it and will give an answer in 12 days. A thorough review rather than a quick decision for the sake of it is a much wiser choice.

Is it though? we know from the Trials that the oxford vaccine is safe for the non-elderly and removed hospitalization.
Ireland or other countries could grant emergency approval for those under 55-65 and begin rollout in these groups, we are constantly told we need to be protecting the health service and that we are in an unprecedented situation, this would aid in that situation.

I am interested to see what the issue with that approach is that does not hinge on bureaucratic or legal concerns. Remember the German side deal with Pfizer has not been confirmed to be legal by the commission something they would have done quickly to calm the waters if it was legal. So there is flexibility here.

is_that_so

Melanchthon wrote: »

Is it though? we know from the Trials that the oxford vaccine is safe for the non-elderly and removed hospitalization.
Ireland or other countries could grant emergency approval for those under 55-65 and begin rollout in these groups, we are constantly told we need to be protecting the health service and that we are in an unprecedented situation, this would aid in that situation.

I am interested to see what the issue with that approach is that does not hinge on bureaucratic or legal concerns. Remember the German side deal with Pfizer has not been confirmed to be legal by the commission something they would have done quickly to calm the waters if it was legal. So there is flexibility here.

I think think it's more to do with the booboo on the doses, not necessarily the vaccine itself. The EMA did ask for more quality data.

Galwayguy35

Donnelly is out of his depth in health, he has been exposed now with the vaccine roll out mess.

ACitizenErased

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

Donnelly is out of his depth in health, he has been exposed now with the vaccine roll out mess.

What mess? Cop on ffs

WoollyRedHat

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

Donnelly is out of his depth in health, he has been exposed now with the vaccine roll out mess.

What are the major issues with vaccination as a matter of interest?!

ninebeanrows

It would be great if we could somehow get 500k doses of AstraZeneca shipped here in next 2 weeks and ready to start popping it into everyone's arm first week of Feb

ninebeanrows

I think we need to be more ambitious.

We could lock down the country for 2 weeks with a sole focus of vaxxing, we need bullish people in procurement to pay big dollar to get this vaccine into the country by hook or by crook.