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Living with COVID-19: Vaccinations

Dr Leigh Jones, Head of Training

ISHCMC – Living with COVID, 2021

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COVID-19 in Vietnam

From a relatively “normal” 2020 to a difficult 2021

Buddha Bar, Bach Mai Hospital etc

Danang

And then Delta hit..

Good news……cases reduced (a little more in the last few weeks) and pressure on hospitals easing

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COVID-19 vaccination in Vietnam

More good news: vaccination is happening and FAST!

Population of Vietnam:

  • 58% at least one dose
  • 25% fully vaccinated

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Population of HCMC:

  • >80% fully vaccinated

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Different vaccines in use:

  • Astra Zeneca
  • Sinopharm
  • Pfizer
  • Moderna

Also approved: J&J &Sputnik

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Send in the elite forces, not the new recruits…..

Your immune response is your inner army

- Seek and destroy

Vaccines prepare your army

  • Identify the enemy
  • Train the immune cells
  • Prepare weapons/ammo

Vaccines prepare your body for fighting disease

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How are vaccines developed?

https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory/overview/public-health-threats/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/treatments-vaccines/vaccines-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines-development-evaluation-approval-monitoring

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How were COVID-19 vaccines made so quickly?

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We have a few different types of COVID-19 vaccine

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We have a few different types of COVID-19 vaccine

Astra Zeneca

  • Contains code for COVID-19 spike protein
  • Delivered in a viral “shell” from a common cold virus
  • Instructs our cells to produce spike protein
  • Immune response produces specific cells and antibodies
  • Spike protein chewed up and destroyed

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We have a few different types of COVID-19 vaccine

Pfizer/Moderna

  • Contains code for COVID-19 spike protein
  • Delivered in a “fatty envelope”
  • Instructs our cells to produce spike protein
  • Immune response produces specific cells and antibodies
  • Spike protein chewed up and destroyed

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We have a few different types of COVID-19 vaccine

Sinopharm/sinovac

  • Most ”traditional” vaccine
  • Contains inactivated version of COVID-19
  • Immune response produces specific cells and antibodies
  • Inactivated virus can’t multiple and destroyed by body

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Protein subunit vaccines e.g. Novavax, Nanocovax

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Safety and Efficacy/Effectiveness

Safety:

  • All have excellent safety profiles
  • Side effects generally very mild (fever, headache, fatigue) and short-lived (days-weeks)

Efficacy (trials)

  • How good are they from protecting against disease in clinical trials?
    • AZ: 60-67%
    • Moderna: 72%
    • Pfizer: 79-88%
    • Sinopharm: 78%

Effectiveness (real world data – with Delta)

  • All over 90% effective at stopping severe disease, hospitalization and death – most important measure
  • ALSO reduce chances of:
    • Getting infected
    • Passing on the infection

NOTE: Cannot directly compare data as all tested in separate trials

NOTE: Vaccinated people can still be infected and pass on the virus

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Being your own fact-checker!

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Living with COVID-19: Fighting misinformation

Dr Leigh Jones, Head of Training

ISHCMC – Living with COVID, 2021

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Being your own fact-checker!

Let’s add an extra slice to our personal responsibilities…..

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For good quality information

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Fact Checking: A Beginner’s Guide!

Check Your Source

  • YouTube?
  • Quality Newspaper?
  • Scientific Report?

Beware clickbait

  • Read beyond headline
  • Avoid sensationalism

Qualifications & Experience

  • Who is the person?
  • Qualifications? Job?
  • Are they in their lane?

Body of evidence

  • Is the claim different from what most other experts are saying?

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Evidence beats opinion

  • Is this person sharing an opinion?
  • Is it backed by something more than thought?

Data Quality

  • Is this published and peer reviewed?
  • Was the study on humans or animals or cells?

Warning signs

  • Highly emotive language
  • Absolutism
  • Claims of miracle cures
  • Conspiracy theorism

Ask an expert

  • Ask a doctor/scientist
  • Use online fact checkers

Dr Leigh Jones @drleighannjones

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For good quality information

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  • World Health Organisation
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • European Medicines Agency (EMA)
  • National Health Service UK
  • British Society for Immunology

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Favorite fact-checkers

  • Reuters
  • Health Feedback Initiative
  • Poynter

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And don’t forget to follow OUCRU!

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