Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine with AstraZeneca claims ‘double protection’; Check details

Oxford has already started phase three clinical trials for this vaccine. Image: Reuters

After the World Health Organisation has declared Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate AstraZeneca as most promising among the pool of vaccine candidates, Oxford has come up with a new claim that the provision of double protection against Coronavirus. This breakthrough has been discovered by researchers during clinical trials and indicated that the vaccine helps in two ways and thus providing double protection.

What is Oxford’s AstraZeneca double protection?
According to a report by PTI, when some blood samples were taken from volunteers who were given vaccine dose under clinical trials, it was noted that the vaccine has stimulated the body to produce both “killer T-cells” as well as antibodies. This also highlights the efficacy of the vaccine antibodies are expected to fade with time, however, T-cells have a tendency to stay in the body for years.

While this claim has been made, it still does not prove that AstraZeneca can provide a long-lasting immunity against the deadly Coronavirus. But the results are promising, The Telegraph quoted a senior official at Oxford as saying. The report added that the combination of the two (T-cells and antibodies) will together keep people away from COVID-19 infection from now and act as a double defence.

It is to note that Oxford has already started phase three clinical trials for this vaccine and once the trials are completed successfully, AstraZeneca will be available for mass production and distribution as the first vaccine for the novel Coronavirus. The report further said that while the organisation did not specify the date when the vaccine will be available but it is projected to be ready for mass usage as soon as September this year. Looks like the work on this vaccine and clinical trials are right on track with Oxford experts working in assessing the final stages of efficacy, safety and immunogenicity.

What is the vaccine made of?
AstraZeneca ( also named ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) is based on genetic material of spike protein present in SARS-CoV-2 and a weakened version of common cold that could infect chimpanzees. Notably, SARS-CoV-2 is a strain of Coronavirus that could lead to COVID-19 infection.

According to recent reports, The Lancet medical journal is ready to publish an early-stage human trial data which is taken from the Oxford team and will be available in the next three days.

Meanwhile, Indian researchers are also working on a Coronavirus vaccine candidate Covaxin whose clinical trials are likely to begin shortly.