Future Covids and Vaccines
Summary
Future Covids and Vaccines: The rapid availability of vaccines for Covid19 shows how far the technology has progressed. Previously, mainly due to red tape for approval, it took about 10 years. Most successful are the mRNA (messenger RNA – synthetic and genetically engineered) types from Pfizer and Moderna.
But Pfizer’s vaccine needs to be stored at –70∘C and Moderna’s at -15∘C, both with expiry times of 6 months.
AstraZeneca, a more conventional vaccine can be stored from 2∘C to 8∘C for 8 months. It is made from a weak version of the cold virus from chimpanzees, plus genetic material from Covid19. There are others, such as Novavax, an mRNA type that is good but got approval a bit late, Johnson and Johnson, etc. However, this blog is about future versions to combat variants, like Delta. There are about 240 new vaccines in development!
The video below explains the effectiveness of the ones we have now. Variants such as the Delta strain are more transmissible which means vaccines need to be modified quickly just as ‘flu vaccines are. AstraZeneca has recently been found to be more effective against the Delta strain – Click Here
Video: Testing and Efficacy or Effectiveness:
New Vaccines In Development
Only novel types with seemingly big advantages are described below. The incentive is there. Pfizer’s income for the Covid 19 vaccine is expected to be about US$26 Bn, just to the end of 2021.
Tablet Vaccines
This is a pill, stored at room temperature and easily modified for new strains. It is too early to tell whether these different vaccines like the pill and the nasal spray below will be effective. However, the aim is to make vaccines simpler, enabling easy distribution and ingestion. More people will get vaccinated, as no needles are involved and trained people are not needed for injecting. They are easily stored, transported and low cost, so suitable for poorer countries such as Africa, South America and Indonesia. No data is available yet as to expiry times for these simpler vaccines.
Nasal Spray Vaccines
While needle vaccinations into the bloodstream are quite effective in stopping hospitalisation and death, new research shows there may be better methods and types. Initial nasal spray vaccines in animal trials show 100% protection and can be self-administered, with no negative side effects. Some are also sprayed orally. To be safe, it seems logical both nasal and oral spraying is required.
Vaccines that are injected into the arm, including the ones for Covid19, do a great job of producing antibodies in the bloodstream. But they don’t generate high levels of antibodies in the nasal passages, which is where Covid19 is most likely to enter the body.
There’s already a nasal spray flu vaccine called Flumist, which is used now.
“When you get an infection, you get it in your mucosal surfaces in your nasal cavity, and you prime your T cells and your entire immune system in your upper respiratory tract, which means these cells are going to stay there, become resident, and act as a sentinel defence,” says Marcus Buggert, an immunologist and T cell researcher at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. “If you vaccinate yourself in the arm, you won’t induce that type of T cell response.” Apparently, there are T cells in the nasal cavity skin.
At present nasal spray vaccines are conventional like Astra Zeneca, but a nasally delivered mRNA-based vaccine is possible. It likely would require tweaks as is done in injectable Covid19 vaccines.
Unanswered Questions
Concerning the new non-injection vaccines, Google doesn’t say why:
- These vaccines weren’t researched earlier or is there some problem yet to be discovered?
- Room temperature storage is fine, but not for some of the injectionable ones?
- How many ‘shots’ will be needed and how long they last?
Perhaps future research will tell all. I am no expert in this field, so If you know any of the answers, please comment below.
References
12 Responses
Looks as if Covid19 is an evolving flu and anything that will make it easier to combat must be good. Bring it on!! Sad that marketing has to employ comparisons that are not like with like to promote the their product.
John, thanks, yes the video was revealing.
Hi Campbell
Hope you are well and obviously keeping yourself busy in lockdown.
Thanks and well done on the blog and interesting. It gives confidence( the video) that AstraZeneca will do the job and down the track the virus will be easily controlled. It’s the next one that we have to watch out for.
Stay safe
Foulsh
PS. The long white cloud in black are too good for us. Looking forward to NZvSA
John. Yes, the next one is already here, called MU and is in 49 US states. It is even more transmissible than Delta. Also Lamda but they are not variants of concern -yet! Let’s hope the scientists find a permanent fix.
Will be watching Sunday to NZ v SA. The exciting v the boring.
For more detail re Variants see this link https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/coronavirus/mu-delta-lambda-what-we-know-so-far-about-the-most-recent-covid-variants/2606891/
I found the video very informative . Had first thought that J&J may have sponsored the video, nevertheless the message conveyed was very important. Certainly the video debunks people’s belief that preference of pfizer over Astrazenica . Both are good and comparisons can only be made if testing conditions are under the same conditions.
Frank. thanks for your comment. Always appreciated.
Another very simple explanation on what efficacy means in vaccines and of course extended to all medications and science overall. Unfortunately many don’t seem to understand the term, in particular many in the media and politics. It would be great to see you hosting a television show like Julias Sumner Miller used to host in the 60’s. His show was called “Why is it so?” Campbell you are like Julius other than Julius’s seemingly low level of intollerance and his weird hair. Thanks Campbell and take care!
Peter, unlikely I would emulate Julius Sumner Miller anytime soon, but thanks anyway!!
The website below is interesting. Australia’s death rate from Covid is a storm in a teacup compared to other 1st world countries!
https://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/selected-deaths-vs-covid-19-france
As always, we learn a lot on topics that are alien to us ordinary people. Appreciate your blog and it’s contents. I can say that I now know little facts about COVID.
Thanks Bala. Glad you are appreciating the blog.
[…] Health: Pandemics stress health systems. Technology helps early detection of disease outbreaks. Telemedicine, remote monitors, wearables and telehealth are used in remote areas. . Vaccines can now be developed quickly, such as Covid’s Pfizer and Moderna’s mRNA types using genomics. The latest now covers future variants. Development of vaccines used to take decades – see previous blog. […]