The AstraZeneca vaccine is deemed more affordable and easier to distribute to people, according to analysts.
The coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford reported an average efficacy of 70% in protecting against the virus. This is based on an interim analysis of clinical trials for the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Researchers explained that this number could be as high as 90% by modifying the dose, but the final findings show the vaccine’s efficacy is slightly lower than other vaccine candidates.
White House coronavirus advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci previously said that scientists have been aiming to come up with a Covid-19 vaccine that is at least 75% effective, but 50% or 60% effective would be acceptable.
“We can have some confidence and some faith in what the FDA is saying,” said Dr. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna posted preliminary results indicating that their respective coronavirus vaccines were around 95% effective.
In a joint statement, Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech said: “Efficacy was consistent across age, race and ethnicity demographics. The observed efficacy in adults over 65 years of age was over 94%.”
The companies continued: “There were 10 severe cases of Covid-19 observed in the trial, with nine of the cases occurring in the placebo group and one in the BNT162b2 vaccinated group.”
Vaccine distribution
Dr. Hans Kluge, World Health Organization (WHO) regional director for Europe, believes that “any Covid vaccine should be a global, public good” with equal access for all.
“In the last few days, we have received good news with two, particularly promising vaccines. However, this promise will never be realized unless we ensure that all countries have access to the vaccine market, that it is delivered equitably, that it is effectively deployed and that countries address pockets of vaccine hesitancy,” he said.
He added that the distribution of Covid vaccines should prioritize health and social care as well as people with health conditions that make them vulnerable to the virus. He also urges the public to continuously observe health measures like mask-wearing and social distancing.
8,000 jumbo jets
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said that around 8,000 Boeing 747 jumbo jets are needed to transport coronavirus vaccines globally.
According to the IATA, shipping coronavirus vaccines worldwide will be the “largest transport challenge ever” and will require the equivalent of 8,000 Boeing 747s.
Although there are no coronavirus vaccines available yet, the IATA is already working on a global airlift plan in partnership with airlines, airports, global health regulators and pharmaceutical companies.
The distribution plan is based on the assumption that only one dose of vaccine is needed per person.
IATA chief executive officer (CEO) Alexandre de Juniac said: “Safely delivering Covid-19 vaccines will be the mission of the century for the global air cargo industry. But it won’t happen without careful advance planning. And the time for that is now.”
Although airlines have shifted most of their operations on cargo delivery due to the decline in passenger flights, vaccine shipping is perceived to be far more complex.
One factor to consider is that not all aircraft are suitable for vaccine delivery as it typically requires a temperature range of between 2 and 8C for transporting drugs and some vaccines may require frozen temperatures, further excluding more planes.
Glyn Hughes, head of cargo at IATA, mentioned: “We know the procedures well. What we need to do is scale them up to the magnitude that will be required.”
Hughes added that flights to certain parts of the world, particularly some South East Asian areas, will be critical since these places lack the capability to produce their own vaccine.
