Oxford vaccine ‘game-changer’ in battle against Covid-19

The Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine uses a harmless, weakened version of a common virus, which causes a cold in chimpanzees.

Scientists have transferred the genetic instructions for coronavirus’s specific spike protein – which it needs to invade cells – to the vaccine.

When the vaccine enters cells inside the body, it uses this genetic code to produce the surface spike protein of the coronavirus.

This induces an immune response, priming the immune system to attack coronavirus if it infects the body.

Phase 3 trial data showed the jab was 70.4% effective on average across two different dose regimes and possibly up to 90% when one half dose is given followed by a further full dose.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has recommended over-18s should receive two doses to be administered with an interval of between four and 12 weeks.

UK health professionals have suggested giving as many people as possible the first doses of either approved vaccine, effectively doubling the number of people given some protection.

The second dose, which gives maximum protection, could then come up to three months later.

Health & Social Care president Deputy Al Brouard reminded islanders that the vaccine was not compulsory.

‘If you are offered the vaccine, you must make a decision on whether to have it,’ he said.

‘Whilst information on vaccines is available on the coronavirus website, you may also wish to speak to a health professional before you make a final decision.

‘Please make sure, if you are looking for information on the internet, that you are using reputable sources of information. Again, a link to an independent source of information about vaccines is on the States website.’

Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group and chief investigator of the Oxford Vaccine Trial, said the development and approval of the vaccine was ‘an absolute triumph of academic collaboration’.

He said it should be possible to tweak vaccines should that be necessary to deal with any new variants of the virus, but added that there is no evidence so far that the vaccines will not work against a new variant.

Vice-president of Policy & Resources and former head of HSC, Deputy Heidi Soulsby, tweeted that the approval of the Oxford vaccine was ‘fantastic news’.

‘This is the game changer enabling rapid roll-out across the Bailiwick.’