Come on Sarah

[Van wink 2,994]

https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2021-02-02-oxford-coronavirus-vaccine-shows-sustained-protection-76-during-3-month-interval

[Van wink 2,994]

Not a hugely profound piece from the Telegraph today but an interesting insight into the future

"It sounds like something out of Star Trek, but it has become the latest hot topic: the “next generation” of Covid-19 vaccines. 

The issue has risen to the fore over as yet unconfirmed fears the existing crop of vaccines may not work as well against the new variants.  But it also has the potential to tackle many other issues that are crucial to ending the pandemic. 

These include the obvious: more vaccines means more people get vaccinated. But vaccine developers who have not been in the race to be first - either by design or by circumstance - have also had more time to tinker with their vaccine “recipes”, to make them more suitable for use in certain groups or locations. 

“The more goodies we have in the cupboard, the better,” said Professor Danny Altmann, an immunologist at Imperial College, London. 

“For example, I am asked every day - every hour - if a particular vaccine is good for people with allergies, or a certain type of cancer. And the answer is I don’t know yet, because nobody knows. But more goodies will better resolve these issues.” 

For now, the focus is on variants. For example, GlaxoSmithKline and Curevac on Wednesday said their “next generation” candidate could be multivalent. This means it may contain several vaccine variants at once, like the annual flu jab. 

“We believe that next generation vaccines will be crucial in the continued fight against Covid-19,” said GSK’s chief executive, Emma Walmsley.

Other vaccine developers, like Moderna, have suggested boosters for their already approved vaccines. And AstraZeneca confirmed on Wednesday that it was working on tweaks to its existing product, as The Telegraph revealed last month, and could have something ready by this autumn.

It remains unclear whether these tweaks will be needed, as the vaccines have such high efficacy levels that a hit to their powers can be accommodated without rendering them useless. 

However, other variants may come, and a focus on the “next generation” remains essential regardless, scientists say.

That is because while there’s been a sprint for the first jabs, the pandemic marathon is far from over - not least because we do not yet know how long immunity lasts, meaning regular booster jabs may be required.  

“It’s a long race,” said Prof Altmann. “And I think we have all slightly reappraised where we thought we were in terms of what the next generation and the generation after that will look like.”

According to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine’s vaccine tracker, there are 293 Covid-19 vaccines around the world: 10 of which are in use or approved, and 70 of which are in clinical trials. 

“There are lots of new ideas waiting in the wings,” added Prof Altmann. “And, sadly, it’s not about first, second, third across the line and so on [because the pandemic is ongoing].” 

There are four main types of vaccine - nucleic acid, whole virus, protein subunit and viral vector. They prompt the body into making antibodies in different ways, preparing for a potential real-life infection, and all of the approved vaccines, as well as those that have finished clinical trials, fall into these categories. 

The same is true of the “next generation”, so there are no big surprises ahead; but there are tweaks that could be crucial. 

For example, a team from Lancaster University in the UK and Texas Biomedical Research Institute in the US are working on a vaccine nasal spray, rather than an injection, which has shown promising results in mice on preventing transmission - still something of an unknown for the existing vaccines.

A team at Oxford University, with the Pirbright Institute, have reported positive results in pigs for a new jab that can be stored at room temperature, which would make it considerably easier to deploy globally than some of the jabs that have to be deep frozen. 

“Although this type of vaccine is not a competitor for the first wave of vaccines, it is hoped that it will be useful as a standalone vaccine or as a booster,” the team said. 

Colleagues of Prof Altmann at Imperial are working on a self-amplifying RNA vaccine, which is in the early stages of human trials. It is similar to the mRNA jabs already approved, but more stable at higher temperatures. Research has also shown this kind of tech can produce stronger immune responses.  

Other, more traditional technologies - the developers joke they are “zero generation” - have a role to play, too.

These kinds of whole virus vaccines have been slower to develop because of the safety and manufacturing hurdles in handling live coronaviruses. But now could be their time to shine. Not only are they cheaper and potentially useful for immunocompromised populations, scientists believe it is possible they could be more robust in the face of new variants. This is mainly because they show the immune system the whole virus, rather than just the part of it targeted by the “first wave” vaccines, where mutations have occurred.   

China’s CoronaVac works in this way, and so does the Valneva jab being developed in Scotland. CoronaVac has been approved for use in China in high-risk populations since the summer, and the Valneva jab could be ready by the end of this year.

“I think you’ll see some of the first wave transition out because they are complex, expensive, or challenging to deploy. And others will transition in,” David Lawrence, Valneva’s chief financial officer, told The Telegraph.

The British government agrees: it has ordered 100m doses, even though the vaccine is still in Phase I/II clinical trials.

These trials could present major hurdles for the “next generation”. Firstly, the teams need to prove they work. And more importantly, they need to prove that they work as well as, or better than, the existing crop of jabs - a tall order when some have efficacy rates as high as 95 per cent. 

These kinds of “non-inferiority” trials are more ethical than trials using placebos when there are effective vaccines available. Participants either get an existing jab or the one being tested, and compare the results head-to-head. 

Valneva discussed this option for its trials with the Vaccine Taskforce this week. And while 95 per cent is a tall order, getting into the nitty gritty is where the next generation of vaccines could shine. For example, Valneva is testing its jab on under- and over-65s separately, addressing data gaps on the performance of some of the existing candidates - particularly the AstraZeneca/Oxford University jab - among the older population. 

The key to comparing vaccines is establishing the “correlates of protection” in the real world: what exactly protects against Covid-19 infections, what level of that protection is needed, and what level different jabs reach.  Then other factors - like price, durability of the immune response, or the suitability for different groups - can be taken into account.  

“The whole globe won’t have a one-size fits all solution, in terms of price, the supply chain, and the timeline,” said Prof Altmann, who says it is important to remember how amazing it is that a discussion about choice is even on the table just one year after the novel coronavirus emerged. 

“Although the disease is horrific, confounding and complex, compared to some of the diseases that have scuppered us for years - like HIV, TB, malaria - the vaccinology has been relatively simple. It has done absurdly well. And I regard that as kind of glorious,” he said. 

[CANARYKING 637]

37 minutes ago, Van wink said:

Not a hugely profound piece from the Telegraph today but an interesting insight into the future

"It sounds like something out of Star Trek, but it has become the latest hot topic: the “next generation” of Covid-19 vaccines. 

The issue has risen to the fore over as yet unconfirmed fears the existing crop of vaccines may not work as well against the new variants.  But it also has the potential to tackle many other issues that are crucial to ending the pandemic. 

These include the obvious: more vaccines means more people get vaccinated. But vaccine developers who have not been in the race to be first - either by design or by circumstance - have also had more time to tinker with their vaccine “recipes”, to make them more suitable for use in certain groups or locations. 

“The more goodies we have in the cupboard, the better,” said Professor Danny Altmann, an immunologist at Imperial College, London. 

“For example, I am asked every day - every hour - if a particular vaccine is good for people with allergies, or a certain type of cancer. And the answer is I don’t know yet, because nobody knows. But more goodies will better resolve these issues.” 

For now, the focus is on variants. For example, GlaxoSmithKline and Curevac on Wednesday said their “next generation” candidate could be multivalent. This means it may contain several vaccine variants at once, like the annual flu jab. 

“We believe that next generation vaccines will be crucial in the continued fight against Covid-19,” said GSK’s chief executive, Emma Walmsley.

Other vaccine developers, like Moderna, have suggested boosters for their already approved vaccines. And AstraZeneca confirmed on Wednesday that it was working on tweaks to its existing product, as The Telegraph revealed last month, and could have something ready by this autumn.

It remains unclear whether these tweaks will be needed, as the vaccines have such high efficacy levels that a hit to their powers can be accommodated without rendering them useless. 

However, other variants may come, and a focus on the “next generation” remains essential regardless, scientists say.

That is because while there’s been a sprint for the first jabs, the pandemic marathon is far from over - not least because we do not yet know how long immunity lasts, meaning regular booster jabs may be required.  

“It’s a long race,” said Prof Altmann. “And I think we have all slightly reappraised where we thought we were in terms of what the next generation and the generation after that will look like.”

According to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine’s vaccine tracker, there are 293 Covid-19 vaccines around the world: 10 of which are in use or approved, and 70 of which are in clinical trials. 

“There are lots of new ideas waiting in the wings,” added Prof Altmann. “And, sadly, it’s not about first, second, third across the line and so on [because the pandemic is ongoing].” 

There are four main types of vaccine - nucleic acid, whole virus, protein subunit and viral vector. They prompt the body into making antibodies in different ways, preparing for a potential real-life infection, and all of the approved vaccines, as well as those that have finished clinical trials, fall into these categories. 

The same is true of the “next generation”, so there are no big surprises ahead; but there are tweaks that could be crucial. 

For example, a team from Lancaster University in the UK and Texas Biomedical Research Institute in the US are working on a vaccine nasal spray, rather than an injection, which has shown promising results in mice on preventing transmission - still something of an unknown for the existing vaccines.

A team at Oxford University, with the Pirbright Institute, have reported positive results in pigs for a new jab that can be stored at room temperature, which would make it considerably easier to deploy globally than some of the jabs that have to be deep frozen. 

“Although this type of vaccine is not a competitor for the first wave of vaccines, it is hoped that it will be useful as a standalone vaccine or as a booster,” the team said. 

Colleagues of Prof Altmann at Imperial are working on a self-amplifying RNA vaccine, which is in the early stages of human trials. It is similar to the mRNA jabs already approved, but more stable at higher temperatures. Research has also shown this kind of tech can produce stronger immune responses.  

Other, more traditional technologies - the developers joke they are “zero generation” - have a role to play, too.

These kinds of whole virus vaccines have been slower to develop because of the safety and manufacturing hurdles in handling live coronaviruses. But now could be their time to shine. Not only are they cheaper and potentially useful for immunocompromised populations, scientists believe it is possible they could be more robust in the face of new variants. This is mainly because they show the immune system the whole virus, rather than just the part of it targeted by the “first wave” vaccines, where mutations have occurred.   

China’s CoronaVac works in this way, and so does the Valneva jab being developed in Scotland. CoronaVac has been approved for use in China in high-risk populations since the summer, and the Valneva jab could be ready by the end of this year.

“I think you’ll see some of the first wave transition out because they are complex, expensive, or challenging to deploy. And others will transition in,” David Lawrence, Valneva’s chief financial officer, told The Telegraph.

The British government agrees: it has ordered 100m doses, even though the vaccine is still in Phase I/II clinical trials.

These trials could present major hurdles for the “next generation”. Firstly, the teams need to prove they work. And more importantly, they need to prove that they work as well as, or better than, the existing crop of jabs - a tall order when some have efficacy rates as high as 95 per cent. 

These kinds of “non-inferiority” trials are more ethical than trials using placebos when there are effective vaccines available. Participants either get an existing jab or the one being tested, and compare the results head-to-head. 

Valneva discussed this option for its trials with the Vaccine Taskforce this week. And while 95 per cent is a tall order, getting into the nitty gritty is where the next generation of vaccines could shine. For example, Valneva is testing its jab on under- and over-65s separately, addressing data gaps on the performance of some of the existing candidates - particularly the AstraZeneca/Oxford University jab - among the older population. 

The key to comparing vaccines is establishing the “correlates of protection” in the real world: what exactly protects against Covid-19 infections, what level of that protection is needed, and what level different jabs reach.  Then other factors - like price, durability of the immune response, or the suitability for different groups - can be taken into account.  

“The whole globe won’t have a one-size fits all solution, in terms of price, the supply chain, and the timeline,” said Prof Altmann, who says it is important to remember how amazing it is that a discussion about choice is even on the table just one year after the novel coronavirus emerged. 

“Although the disease is horrific, confounding and complex, compared to some of the diseases that have scuppered us for years - like HIV, TB, malaria - the vaccinology has been relatively simple. It has done absurdly well. And I regard that as kind of glorious,” he said. 

Does he know when I can go back to Carrow Road?

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,023]

Have been following this thread from day one, and today i received my first dose of the Astra Zeneca vaccination, so kind of brings it to life for me. At the time of writing (3.5 hours after the jab), no ill effects.......

 

[Herman 9,746]

Will you jabees be able to start filling up Carrow Road soon??

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,023]

21 minutes ago, Herman said:

Will you jabees be able to start filling up Carrow Road soon??

Personally hoping that conditions are such that next season means a return to Carrow Rd, we will have to wait and see........

[Indy 3,296]

58 minutes ago, Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB said:

Personally hoping that conditions are such that next season means a return to Carrow Rd, we will have to wait and see........

I think April might see limited return to stadiums. But just my guess.

[Well b back 3,199]

6 minutes ago, Indy said:

I think April might see limited return to stadiums. But just my guess.

I will have my vaccine passport by then.

[Van wink 2,994]

11 minutes ago, Indy said:

I think April might see limited return to stadiums. But just my guess.

Yes assuming things continue as expected regarding infection rates and vaccination program late April early May.

This whole vaccine passport thing is a potential nightmare. All the old codgers ****ing off to Ibiza for some partying with the young guns left at home working to pay for their pensions.

[CANARYKING 637]

Facebook message just sent out, no vaccines at Southwold Sunday or Monday - snow

[sonyc 5,508]

Quite a rare personal appearance this morning by the Sarah of this thread. Thought I should post.

https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1358362139883433986?s=09

 

[Well b back 3,199]

37 minutes ago, sonyc said:

Quite a rare personal appearance this morning by the Sarah of this thread. Thought I should post.

https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1358362139883433986?s=09

 

Thanks Sonyc.

I have a feeling if the South African variant has got any sort of grip, it maybe autumn before we begin our normal return to life. 
We could still get very lucky, but it shows even strategies are a matter of luck, not a lot of difference to going to the bookies.

[Indy 3,296]

20 minutes ago, Well b back said:

Thanks Sonyc.

I have a feeling if the South African variant has got any sort of grip, it maybe autumn before we begin our normal return to life. 
We could still get very lucky, but it shows even strategies are a matter of luck, not a lot of difference to going to the bookies.

It’s great to hear her, best by far with good information. There’s still the belief that the AZ vaccine will stop the South Africa variant hospitalising most people so I think we’re still on for a slow move out of lockdown with a mid summer move towards a sense of normality. 👍

[Well b back 3,199]

It’s great to hear her, best by far with good information. 
 

Indeed.

Refreshing to hear facts without bothering wether that’s what we want to hear. 

[Van wink 2,994]

1 hour ago, Indy said:

It’s great to hear her, best by far with good information. There’s still the belief that the AZ vaccine will stop the South Africa variant hospitalising most people so I think we’re still on for a slow move out of lockdown with a mid summer move towards a sense of normality. 👍

Hopefully with a low infection rate yes. The small SA study doesn’t as yet tell us much that’s conclusive about prevention of serious ill health but based on limited data it suggests that there is a benefit. She is following first principles, the immune response with other vaccines has been shown to have a beneficial effect, albeit lessened, against the SA variant, it should follow that AZ will have some effect too. 

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,023]

Andrew Lloyd-Webber was on the TV this morning, he took part in the Astra Zeneca trial. He has had both jabs, last one in August, a couple of weeks ago he had a blood test and as part of that process he was tested for antibodies, and, in his words, "he was teeming with antibodies". He has since been told he had the actual vaccine as part of the trial. It is a good news story that a 72 year old has antibodies six months after a being vaccinated..............

Edited February 10, 2021 by Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB

[Van wink 2,994]

23 minutes ago, Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB said:

Andrew Lloyd-Webber was on the TV this morning, he took part in the Astra Zeneca trial. He has had both jabs, last one in August, a couple of weeks ago he had a blood test and as part of that process he was tested for antibodies, and, in his words, "he was teeming with antibodies". He has since been told he had the actual vaccine as part of the trial. It is a goo news story that a 72 year old has antibodies six months after a being vaccinated..............

That’s great news. The worry is whether it causes your face to turn inside out 😁

[sonyc 5,508]

14 minutes ago, Van wink said:

That’s great news. The worry is whether it causes your face to turn inside out 😁

Or you keep talking in rhyming couplets. 

Just how words rhyme with Coronavirus or Astra Zeneca though😐

[Herman 9,746]

There was an old stoic called Seneca... 

[Well b back 3,199]

Some good news, The World Health Organisation likely to approve the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, with caveats on ongoing trials and research. Once approved the Serum Institute of India will up their production even further from 10,000 doses a minute. Back to our friends the monkeys it is accepting the main aim of a vaccine is to prevent serious illness.
 

It is also looking to approve 2 of The Chinese vaccines.

 

[Well b back 3,199]

As mentioned earlier, WHO approve Oxford

Scientists have advised the World Health Organisation (WHO) to recommend the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine in all adults.

It comes after several countries have opted not to give the jab to those over the age of 65.

The WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation has issued interim recommendations on the vaccine, saying the jab could be given to people aged 18 and above "without an upper age limit". 

"That means people over the age of 65 years of age should be given the vaccination," Dr Alejandro Cravioto, chairman of the advisory group, tells a press briefing.

For more on the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine you can click here.

[Well b back 3,199]

And in an excellent day these results suggest we could have a new treatment in the not to distant future, let’s hope this one carries on, where others have proved not to be as good as hoped.

https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-asthma-treatment-int-idUSKBN2A92M7?taid=60230f4a496f1e00010ace10&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

 

 

[It's Character Forming 1,160]

10 minutes ago, Well b back said:

And in an excellent day these results suggest we could have a new treatment in the not to distant future, let’s hope this one carries on, where others have proved not to be as good as hoped.

https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-asthma-treatment-int-idUSKBN2A92M7?taid=60230f4a496f1e00010ace10&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

 

 

Thanks @Well b back that sounds really promising.  A 90% reduction in the risk of hospitalisation could be a real game changer.

 

Also great to see we're over 13m first dose vaccinations as of yesterday, averaging over 400k/day now.  If we can sustain this level we can get a really good number of people their first dose before the number of 2nd doses becomes large.

[sonyc 5,508]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/14/life-savers-story-oxford-astrazeneca-coronavirus-vaccine-scientists?

Good summary & timeline in this article and Sarah G gives views on difficult periods during the vaccine development (on anti- vaxxers too) plus some criticism of policy mistakes.

[Well b back 3,199]

10 minutes ago, sonyc said:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/14/life-savers-story-oxford-astrazeneca-coronavirus-vaccine-scientists?

Good summary & timeline in this article and Sarah G gives views on difficult periods during the vaccine development (on anti- vaxxers too) plus some criticism of policy mistakes.

Thanks Sonyc, no wonder Sarah and co are always kept away from the press conferences lol.

[sonyc 5,508]

3 minutes ago, Well b back said:

Thanks Sonyc, no wonder Sarah and co are always kept away from the press conferences lol.

I read her comments with much interest. They were barely coded.

Yet, I think she is someone though who simply says it as it is.

[Rock The Boat 1,329]

On 10/02/2021 at 08:21, Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB said:

Andrew Lloyd-Webber was on the TV this morning, he took part in the Astra Zeneca trial. He has had both jabs, last one in August, a couple of weeks ago he had a blood test and as part of that process he was tested for antibodies, and, in his words, "he was teeming with antibodies". He has since been told he had the actual vaccine as part of the trial. It is a good news story that a 72 year old has antibodies six months after a being vaccinated..............

Expect the musical in six months from now - Jabs

[Tetteys Jig 830]

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19107740.coronavirus-scotland-vaccination-linked-substantial-reduction-hospital-admissions/

Oxford/AZ smashing it out of the park with these early indicators!

My arm is ready for my go on Thursday Sarah!

[Van wink 2,994]

34 minutes ago, Tetteys Jig said:

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19107740.coronavirus-scotland-vaccination-linked-substantial-reduction-hospital-admissions/

Oxford/AZ smashing it out of the park with these early indicators!

My arm is ready for my go on Thursday Sarah!

This is what we want to be reading, looking like both vaccines capable of doing the “ heavy lifting” as I think JVT would say😁 

Great news

[Tetteys Jig 830]

5 minutes ago, Van wink said:

This is what we want to be reading, looking like both vaccines capable of doing the “ heavy lifting” as I think JVT would say😁 

Great news

absolutely. Hopefully people realise that a few, non invasive restrictions will reduce R by so much anyway that it's worth putting up with them for a bit longer so we can all get back to enjoying the things most important to us. Light lifting, if you will...