Updates 1/3/2021
Happy new year! With the new year comes some hope of an end to this pandemic. With vaccines rolling out across the world, and new approvals for treatments and other vaccines happening, there is a glimmer of promise that there is an end in sight. Here are some COVID-19 updates, in case you missed them.
USA makes a deal with Pfizer
Despite the initial blunder on the U.S. government’s part to acquire enough doses of Pfizer’s vaccine, the U.S. government has struck a deal with the company to acquire an additional 100 million doses of the vaccine, of which 70 million will come by June 2021, and the final 30 million by July 2021.
Novavax begins Phase 3 trials
Another vaccine contender, Novavax, will begin Phase 3 trials in the U.S. and Mexico. The trial will enroll 30,000 participants, of which two-thirds will receive the active vaccine. The vaccine, unlike that of Moderna, Pfizer, or AstraZeneca, does not contain the genetic material of the spike protein. Rather, the vaccine contains a synthesized version of the spike protein itself. The vaccine is stable at 2 to 8 degrees C (roughly 35 to 47 degrees F), making it more practical for widespread distribution than that of Moderna and Pfizer.
The vaccine is injected in two doses, spaced 21 days apart. To date, Novavax has not had any product brought to market.
Britain’s vaccination methods raise alarm
In response to the COVID spike and widespread novel strain in the U.K., the British government has had to adapt their vaccination plans. Rather than ensuring there are enough doses to administer both doses of the vaccine to those getting the injection, the government has decided it wiser to vaccinate as many people as possible with the first dose, hoping to afford more of its population some form of immunity. Currently, the U.K. has authorized the AstraZeneca and the Pfizer vaccines.
Given this decision, there may be a situation in which second doses are not available in a timely manner for those who need it. As such, the government has permitted doses of vaccines to be mix and matched; in other words, if one gets the Pfizer vaccine as their first dose, but the second dose is not available when needed, the person may get the AstraZeneca vaccine as the second dose should that be available.
In the U.S., guidelines outlined by the CDC have strictly noted that the vaccines are not interchangeable, given that there is neither safety not efficacy data to prove that this method is safe or effective.
Officials in the U.K. do say this will only be done sparingly, and in many cases people will instead be left with an incomplete dose.
Israel paves road to vaccinate all its citizens
Israel has been able to vaccinate over 10% of their population. They, like many other nations, have prioritized healthcare workers and the elderly. By the end of January, they believe they will be able to administer both doses of the Pfizer vaccine to all their high-risk citizens.
Naturally, the small size of the country has played a role in allowing the high percentage of citizens to be vaccinated. However, experts have also credited the country’s community-based health system in which citizens must register with one of the country’s four HMO’s, and their swift and early negotiations to acquire doses.