Another Coronavirus vaccine has shown to be highly effective. Britain’s Oxford University and its pharmaceutical partners AstraZeneca have published the preliminary results from large scale trial. And they show their vaccine is 70 per cent effective at protecting people from the disease. But for some group of volunteers who received a half dose followed by a full dose, the effectiveness rose to 90 per cent. The vaccine was developed in around 10 months, a process that normally takes a decade.
The results come after Pfizer and Moderna vaccines showed 95 per cent protection. However, the Oxford vaccine is far cheaper and is easier to store. It can be stored at a fridge temperature, which means it can be distributed to every corner of the world, unlike the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which need to be stored at much colder temperatures.
According to the international media, for the vaccine to be available in developing countries, Oxford and AstraZeneca have already done deals with Serum Institute in India and manufacturers in Brazil.
So it’s already being made and as soon as it gets approval from the regulators, it can be used. However, the big uncertainty about all three of the vaccines is how long will it provide protection for?
So far, the Coronavirus has infected more than 59 million people and killed more than 1.4 million people worldwide. The US is the hardest hit with 12.7 million cases.
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