COVID-19 vaccine: answers to key questions

Several countries around the world, including Russia, Britain and Canada, have begun vaccination against COVID-19. The first in line for vaccination were health workers and vulnerable elderly people or those with serious chronic diseases. Why some people still refuse vaccination, the publication said with the BBC.

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Several polls were conducted in Russia and found that the majority of the "economically active" residents of the country are against vaccination. Superjob surveyed 1,6 thousand people, and 44% were against vaccination. Only 22% were willing to receive any of the registered vaccines.

Even doctors have spoken out against vaccination. 52% of more than three thousand respondents said they were not ready to be vaccinated with a drug created in the Russian Gamalea Center. Many were embarrassed by the lack of data on its effectiveness, as well as the fact that the vaccine was created in too short a time.

Nearly half of Americans are willing to get vaccinated, according to a poll. Against vaccination - 26%. Another quarter of respondents have not yet made a decision. Experts remind that to achieve herd immunity, about 70% of Americans need to be vaccinated. In the US, people's main concern is not the reliability of the vaccine, but rather the possible side effects.

The vaccine is dangerous or not

So far, there is no reason to believe that the COVID-19 vaccine could be dangerous. In theory, it can cause unwanted reactions, but this is unlikely.

It is in order to predict all possible side effects that scientists conduct tests, starting small: first they test samples in laboratories, conduct tests on animals and only then on humans. For example, in the case of the vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech, 40 thousand people participated in the trials.

On the subject: Scientist who collaborated with Pfizer and Moderna reveals what COVID-19 vaccines are made of

In addition, additional verification of the results is carried out by regulators, including the British Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Side effects

The COVID-19 vaccine, like other drugs, of course has side effects. But this does not mean that everyone who receives the vaccine will definitely have them. That is, side effects are possible and are considered a normal reaction. Most often, these are short-term mild to moderate reactions that go away without serious complications. For example, pain at the injection site, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, feeling tired. As a rule, all these side effects disappear within a few days.

True, some of them can affect the ability to perform daily tasks, warns the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But the discomfort should completely disappear in a few days.

The journal Science notes that in the case of the American vaccine, most people had no serious side effects that would interfere with their daily activities. Fewer than 2% of those who received the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines had temperatures up to 39-40 degrees Celsius.

The creators of the Russian vaccine also talk about side effects in the form of fever, malaise, headache, which disappeared within a few days.

“Most vaccines cause minor side effects. Essentially, it is the body's immune and inflammatory response to the vaccine. This is exactly the immune response that is needed,” says Stanford University epidemiologist Yvonne Maldonado.

Allergic reactions

With the beginning of human trials of various vaccines, reports of acute allergic reactions began to appear.

Two British people who participated in trials of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine developed severe allergies. But in this case, it is worth considering that both people are allergic. And they didn't carry syringes with adrenaline. Now they feel good. In addition, about a thousand people received a dose of the vaccine on the same day and did not experience such reactions.

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Another similar story happened in Alaska. True, in this case, the man did not suffer from allergies before the vaccination. After an injection of epinephrine (adrenaline, which is used for anaphylactic shock), the allergic reaction subsided.

In a patient information leaflet, the manufacturers of this vaccine indicate that it should not be given to people with a proven allergy to any of the substances in the vaccine. Pfizer and BioNTech write that allergies are manifested by itching, rash, shortness of breath, swelling of the face or tongue.

This description puts people on guard. But it should be borne in mind that you cannot take the drug to which you are allergic.

In addition, an individual allergic reaction is possible not only to the COVID-19 vaccine, but also to any other. Experts believe the possibility of allergies shouldn't come as a surprise.

If vaccines are so safe, why are countries not vaccinated?

So far, no one has announced that he has been vaccinated. Newly elected President of the United States Joe Biden announced his intention to do it publicly.

Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that the vaccines “are intended for citizens in a certain age zone.” “The vaccines have not yet reached people like me. Therefore, as experts say, I have not yet made this vaccine. But I will definitely do this as soon as it becomes possible,” Putin said. It is worth noting that the President of the Russian Federation is 68 years old.

However, age did not prevent the 62-year-old Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin from getting vaccinated.

“Otherwise, it would be difficult for me to campaign for the Russian vaccine, because, according to polls, more than half of Russians even doubt whether they should be vaccinated,” Sobyanin explained.

Some leaders of countries where vaccinations have not yet begun have pledged to be among the first to be vaccinated to allay citizens' fears. Argentina's leader Alberto Fernandez, showing interest in the Russian vaccine, promised to be the first to be vaccinated, "so that no one is afraid."

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte also promised to publicly get vaccinated with Sputnik as soon as the vaccine is available in the country: “Experiment on me, it’s good,” he said.

In Europe, many leaders insist that they are not a priority group and that doctors should receive the vaccine first.

Why the previous vaccines were developed over the years, but from COVID-19 made in a few months

The vaccine development process is quite long. Scientists need to not only create it, but to ensure that it acts quickly and is painless. Therefore, in standard situations, the development of a vaccine is delayed for several years.

On the subject: Pfizer Releases COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects Report

First, scientists conduct laboratory experiments for a long time, looking for the most effective form of the drug, and calculate possible side effects. When the necessary technology is found, they move on to clinical trials on animals, most often on mice. Moreover, if a certain virus does not infect mice (this was the case with the new coronavirus - SARS-CoV-2), developers first have to create a “mouse version” of the virus using genetic engineering.

If animal experiments are successful, we can move on to human trials. First, a small group of healthy volunteers receives the vaccine so that scientists can ensure the safety of the drug (phase I). Only then does it make sense to test the effectiveness of the immune response (Phase II) and how suitable the vaccine is for different population groups (Phase III). For example, can it be used to vaccinate children, the elderly, or people with chronic diseases.

Because side effects from vaccination can be quite rare or appear much later (for example, during childbirth), volunteers are usually monitored for several years after vaccination. Only after this can the results of clinical trials be summed up and, if successful, a decision be made to launch the drug into mass production.

But scientists had to develop a vaccine against COVID-19 in an incredible rush. And to speed up the process, many nuances had to be sacrificed.

For example, experiments on animals were practically not carried out - almost immediately they switched to people. Large developers (for example, AstraZeneca) launched the drug into mass production in parallel with the start of clinical trials, without yet knowing whether the vaccine would work, so that several million doses were already ready by the time the first results were obtained. But state certification of a vaccine several months before the end of its clinical trials (as in the case of the Russian Sputnik) is completely unheard of.

In addition, pharmaceutical companies have invested significant resources in the rapid development of a vaccine this time precisely because the problem turned out to be global. But speed in making a vaccine doesn't mean that companies have sacrificed safety.

Is it possible to travel to another country to get vaccinated

This is not possible yet. Local authorities determine how people are vaccinated in countries where the vaccine is already available.

For example, in Russia vaccination began in Moscow, and later Sputnik was delivered to other regions of the country. People who are at high risk groups receive vaccinations. These include those who are in contact with a large number of people at work. For example, health workers, employees of the trade and services sector, city social services.

As more doses of vaccine become available, the list will expand.

On the subject: Fight against COVID-19: which is more effective - vaccination or natural immunity

But some have already made attempts to organize something like vaccine tourism. A businessman of Russian origin living in Prague hoped to organize tours for Europeans from the very beginning of mass vaccination in Russia. The starting price for such a tour is 30 thousand Czech crowns ($1).

Russian authorities reacted quickly and called it a scam.

“Vaccination against COVID-19 on a commercial basis, and even for tourists, is impossible. Vaccinations are already being done, and they are free for citizens; Russians have absolute priority in vaccination. And only after internal needs are met, when risk groups and everyone who wants to are vaccinated, will it be possible to talk about some kind of commercial supplies,” said Assistant to the Head of the Ministry of Health Alexey Kuznetsov.

How vaccines differ from each other

Developers of both Russian and British vaccines use the so-called vector technology, when the envelope of another virus is used to deliver the genetic material of one virus (in this case SARS-CoV-2), from the family of adenoviruses that cause the common cold. This is a proven technology for developing vaccines, for example, in this way they made a vaccine for Ebola hemorrhagic fever.

The Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines are of a different type—both use innovative messenger RNA technology. Before coronavirus, no vaccine using this technology had been approved for use in humans.

What is the difference between "Sputnik" and the Oxford vaccine, if they are developed using the same technology

The difference is that the developers of Sputnik use human adenovirus as a shell, and Oxford scientists use chimpanzee adenovirus.

No, this does not mean that when vaccinated, you will be infected with adenovirus. This is because the adenovirus gene that causes the infection is being deleted. And instead of it, a gene with the code of the coronavirus protein is inserted. This is a technology that is safe for the human body, which allows the immune system to respond and develop antibodies that can protect against infection.

After all, in fact, a vaccine injection is an organized infection of a healthy person with a virus or bacteria, only with a guarantee of a quick recovery.

Both of these options have their merits and demerits, so it should come as no surprise that Russian and UK manufacturers want to test a combination vaccine.

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