India variant: Expert discusses vaccines that are 'effective'
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The UK has had four Covid vaccines approved for use – Pfizer-BioNTech, Oxford-AstraZeneca, Moderna and Janssen. All but Janssen’s require two doses for maximum protection. People aged under 40 are being offered an alternative to the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine after evidence linking it to rare blood clots.
While no such measures have been put in place for the other vaccines, one doctor reveals people are snubbing the Moderna vaccine upon vaccination in favour of Pfizer’s.
CBC Radio’s Dr Brian Goldman has urged people not to do this and gives reasoning why.
He exclaimed on Twitter: “If you’ve been offered a Moderna #CovidVaccine and you’re holding out for Pfizer, DON’T.
“The two vaccines are EQUIVALENT in efficacy and safety.
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“There is no good clinical reason to prefer one over the other.”
You cannot usually choose which vaccine you have. You’ll only be offered a specific vaccine if you’re either:
- pregnant
- aged under 40 and do not have a health condition that increases your risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19
If this applies to you you’ll only be shown appointments of the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccine when you book your COVID-19 vaccination appointments online.
Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use technology known as mRNA, which introduces into the body a messenger sequence that contains the genetic instructions for the vaccinated person’s own cells to product the antigens and generate an immune response.
Using mRNA in this way is a new method.
What has been studies extensively is the vaccines’ efficacy, particularly against the Delta variant – the variant first identified in India – that’s now the dominant Covid variant in the UK.
The Pfizer vaccine has been shown to be 96 percent effective against hospitalisation after two doses.
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is 92 percent effective against hospitalisation after two doses.
Public Health England (PHE) said these are comparable with vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation from the Alpha variant.
But added: “Further work remains underway to establish the level of protection against mortality from the Delta variant.
“However, as with other variants, this is expected to be high.”
The studies have not included the Moderna or Janssen vaccines.
But Anthony Fauci, MD, White House medical advisor, told The Washington Post he believes the Modern vaccine would be as effective as Pfizer’s.
Separate Public Health analysis indicates the COVID-19 vaccination programme has so far prevented 14,000 deaths and around 42,000 hospitalisations in older people in England, up to May 30.
The NHS will tell you when it’s your turn to have the COVID-19 vaccine, but once you’ve been contacted there are two ways to book your appointments:
- book online now for appointments at a vaccination centre or a pharmacy
- wait to be contacted by your GP surgery and book your appointments with them
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