COVID-19: Vaccine and testing procedures Megathread Part 2 [Mod Warning - Post #1]

lucernarian wrote: »

This is a contradiction. Either the data says that single doses are very effective (implying prioritisation of giving 1 dose to as many as possible is the more optimal plan) or "the data stretching out doses is non-existent for Pfizer/BioNTech" (implying it's a reckless gamble without evidence).

If single doses offer a large degree of protection, and the point of deferring a second dose is to alleviate shortages and give more people their first dose, then how is the data non-existent?

First dose is known to generate a protective immune response in X% of recipients.

Second dose given within a specific timeframe is known to generate a stronger immune response in X + Y% of recipients.

What we do know is that the value "X" is good. Very good, in fact, compared to many other vaccines.

What we don't know;

- Whether the immune response generated by the single dose remains protective beyond the timeframe
- Whether a second dose outside of this timeframe generates the stronger immune response, and in X + Y% of recipients.

The gamble here is that stretching out the doses will be effective over the medium to long-term when compared to the tested regimen.

That is data we don't have. The indications are good that it'll work out. But it's an unknown.

The HSE vaccine rollout page was updated today.
No mention of vaccinating the over 70’s; did they not say they would start vaccinating them from the 8th of Feb?!

‘8 to 14 February

We plan to give around 29,000 vaccinations this week.

15,000 vaccinations will be given to frontline healthcare workers.

5,000 vaccines will be given to GPs. These will be key vaccinators in the community.

9,000 vaccinations will be given to staff and residents of long-term care facilities. 1,000 of these will be second doses.’

KrustyUCC wrote: »

29,000 vaccines seems quite small

Is that the quantity that we're only receiving this week?

Nope its not what we're receiving this week. Pfizer have committed to normal delivery schedule according to reports, increases in 2 weeks time.

Was stated during yesterday's HSE press conference that the plan now needs to be recalibrated for next week and going forward based on only using Pfizer and Moderna for the over 70s.

The majority of these stocks need to be held when they arrive for this age group. Essentially they need to reinstate the buffer while drawing up the logistical plan to ensure that there are enough dose 2 available for those that need Pfizer and Moderna while pivoting to AstraZeneca now for healthcare workers.

So based on the latest guidance they need to with the deliveries
1) Ensure supply for dose 2 of Pfizer & Moderna for HCW, nursing homes etc
2) Ensure supply for dose 1 of Pfizer & Moderna for long term care settings.
3) Ensure supply for dose 1 for over 85s of Pfizer and Moderna
4) Pivot the plan for HCW to now use AstraZeneca

1-3 pose a logistical issue as you basically need to hold onto supply when it comes in and stop dose 1 temporarily in most settings except long term care to maintain the dosing schedule for dose 2 and building stock to start over 85s

Martin was on Prime Time last night and he was asked would we be doing like the Germans and buy extra vaccines ourselves along with what the EU would allocate to us, same as the other day when asked if we could buy off the Brits he refused to answer but continued spluttering his way through the rest of the interview.

The guy is useless, at least Varadkar is saying we should be looking at all options including Sputnik V.

In relation to the AZ vaccine it is estimated to have is it 60% efficacy?
Would that mean that 4 out of every 10 people would still be at risk of developing severe Covid and being hospitalised/ admitted to ICU?
(Apologies if this has already been answered/ discussed this thread moves fast so is sometimes hard to keep up)

Icantthinkof1 wrote: »

In relation to the AZ vaccine it is estimated to have is it 60% efficacy?
Would that mean that 4 out of every 10 would still be at risk of being hospitalised/ admitted to ICU?

Its been a while since I looked at the AZ data and don't have it to hand but off the top of my head I believe there wasn't any severe cases and 0 hospitalistions in the trial when looked at 22 days after first dose.

AstraZenica vaccine has 'similar effect' against Kent variant, researchers find.

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-oxfordastrazenica-vaccine-has-similar-effect-against-kent-variant-researchers-find-12209449

Deathofcool wrote: »

AstraZenica vaccine has 'similar effect' against Kent variant, researchers find.

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-oxfordastrazenica-vaccine-has-similar-effect-against-kent-variant-researchers-find-12209449

That was a worry. Fantastic news.

Icantthinkof1 wrote: »

The HSE vaccine rollout page was updated today.
No mention of vaccinating the over 70’s; did they not say they would start vaccinating them from the 8th of Feb?!

15th...Stephen Donnelly on Radio 1 now. 70% of GPs will vaccinate through their surgeries and the others (smaller etc.) will come together in a hub of some form.

This is from the Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu.

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/eu-is-open-to-buying-russian-chinese-vaccines-/2130239

The European Union is open to buying COVID-19 vaccines developed in China and Russia if the jabs meet certain criteria, the European Commission’s spokesperson confirmed on Monday.

Besides clinically proven efficiency and safety, the bloc requires vaccines producers to fit into “the right budget” and “to have right production capacities in the territory of the EU so that they could supply more quickly to EU citizens”, Stefan De Keersmaecker said at the European Commission’s daily press briefing.

“If companies feel they can meet these criteria, they can get in touch with the European Commission”, the spokesperson for health added.

De Keersmaecker also mentioned that the European Medicine Agency and developers of the Russian Sputnik V vaccines are “in contact”, but “at this stage, no request for marketing authorization has been made”.

I'm surprised that the EU would trust vaccines made in either Russia or China, to be honest.

The mention of anything made in a Russian lab reminds me of Salisbury.

If it's made in a Chinese lab, it reminds me of the intro to the 1970s post-apocalyptic TV drama series Survivors.

21,600 AZ doses arriving this weekend, all to be rolled out straight away.

190,000 total for February of AZ deliveries

stephenjmcd wrote: »

21,600 AZ doses arriving this weekend, all to be rolled out straight away.

190,000 total for February of AZ deliveries

190,000 is a fantastic amount! Have Ireland given any indication as to how long the 2nd AZ vaccine will be spaced out for?

Micky 32 wrote: »

Leo Varadkar:

“Even if Ireland hits zero cases, crowds at matches and concerts would still be banned” He added “We really need to get people vaccinated and that’s what it’s all about”

On a positive note there must be a plan to open up travel within the country by summer as Leo said he’s booked a Sligo staycation this summer.

Any chance of a link there?

Also he says I hope and I believe at least a dozen times in that holiday announcement.

Leo's a funny one. He's not a fan of zero-covid or extreme mandatory quarantine approaches so comes out with scary sounding strawmen like "forever border closures" and "armed guards outside hotel room doors". These then tend to get taken out of context and attributed as his actual viewpoints as opposed to the extreme scenario he's putting forward to scare people away.

As a friend of mine put it, this would be a typical Leo sounding quote: "'I'm fully in favour myself, but just so you know that it would involve some small babies being eaten."