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5 facts about the Oxford vaccine
The Dutch government has signed a contract with pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca together with France, Italy and Germany. It is about the purchase of 300 million units of the Oxford vaccine, which may protect against the corona virus. 5 facts about this Oxford vaccine and the race to an effective vaccine.
Fact 1: The Oxford vaccine is unfinished
The vaccine is not ready yet. It is not approved for use in humans, so more research is needed. The Oxford vaccine is a defused cold virus with the spines of the coronavirus on the outside. The hope is that the immune system will make antibodies against those spines. If the real virus comes along, you’re protected.
According to the overview of the WHO of 9 June this vaccine is the most advanced of all. You can argue about that, because the competing vaccines are also busy organizing the so-called ‘phase 3 trials’, or the last big hurdle for approval of a drug or vaccine.
Fact 2: The Oxford vaccine is being studied in large groups of people
The vaccine belongs to the leading group of vaccines, but in mid-May there was disappointing news that it vaccine was disappointing in the study in a small study in rhesus monkeys. After that, there were more positive reports about the vaccine, such as approval to expand the study from 1000 to 10,000 people. In addition, a study is planned with another 30,000 people. However, whether the Oxford vaccine will make it to the finish line, and indeed be approved in humans, remains uncertain.
Fact 3: There are also other promising vaccines
There are roughly 10 vaccines now being tested in humans, according to the latest WHO overview. In the coming months, it will be announced which vaccines are safe and protect against the coronavirus and which are not. Other contenders are, for example, the American ‘Moderna vaccine’ and the also American Innovio vaccine. In Germany, Pfizer is testing an RNA vaccine. Novavax is again American/Swedish made. The rest of the list consists of Chinese vaccines. about this unfortunately we don’t know much.
The alliance of the four European countries is also in talks with other pharmaceutical companies, according to the government press release. Such a contract may also be concluded. Experts believe that multiple vaccines will hit the market. One target group will respond better to one vaccine than another.
Fact 4: The vaccine will be available by the end of this year at the earliest
The study will run until May 2021, so it will take a while before you can get the jab. But AstraZeneca has indicated that it may already be clear in September whether the Oxford vaccine works at all. One thing is still difficult: to test whether the vaccine protects, coronavirus has to circulate in the population. In the Netherlands, the virus has been contained to such an extent that it is not possible to conduct research into the Oxford vaccine here. This happens in countries where many people are still infected, such as Brazil.
Fact 5: As a Dutch person you have a great chance of getting a vaccine
It sounds crude, but as a resident of a rich country like the Netherlands, you have a good chance of getting a corona vaccine this year or next year. The contract covers 300 million vaccines, with the potential to expand to 400 million vaccines at a later date. More than enough for 17 million Dutch, 60 million Italians, 67 million French and 83 million Germans from this alliance. The European Commission was critical of this contract of the four countries and would rather have suddenly made an agreement for the whole of Europe. But the contract also states that other European countries can purchase from AstraZeneca with the same agreements. It’s a real race to the first vaccines. The US and UK governments have also set aside large amounts of the Oxford vaccine and are likely still standing in line for us.
Sources: Central government, WHO, Volkskrant, Algemeen Dagblad and NOS