Chembry
Addicted to Softballfans
For those interested in COVID Vaccines, here is a good summary of common questions:
I just posted the answers to the questions. There is more discussion on the data if you want to read about it.
https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2020/11/18/vaccine-possibilities
How long will protection last?
Bottom line: Taken together, this study, several others over the past few months, and this recent work all paint a consistent picture of a strong, normal, lasting immune response in the great majority of patients. Add in the results we’re seeing from the two vaccines that have reported interim data so far, and I think that the prospects for lasting immunity from vaccination are also very good. Remember, the early vaccine data suggested antibody responses at least as strong as those found in naturally infected cases. There seems (so far) every reason to think that vaccine-based immunity will be as good or better than that conferred by actual coronavirus infection. I very much look forward to more data to shore up this conclusion, but that’s how it looks to me at the moment.
How protective are these vaccines and will they provide total protection?
Bottom line: the results we have so far indicate that these vaccines will indeed provide strong protection in the great majority of patients. The number of asymptomatic cases among the vaccinated population will be a harder number to pin down, but I believe that we should be in good enough shape there as well, based on antibody levels in the primate studies and what we’re seeing in humans.
What about mutations? Will the virus move out from under the vaccine's target?
Bottom line: the coronavirus can’t undergo the wholesale changes that we see with the influenza viruses. And the mutations we’re seeing so far appear to still be under the umbrella of the antibody protection we’ll be raising with vaccination, which argues that it’s difficult to escape it.
How safe are these vaccines? What do we know about side effects?
Bottom line: immediate safety looks good so far. Rare side effects and long-term ones are still possible, but based on what we’ve seen with other vaccines, they do not look to be anywhere at all significant compared to the pandemic we have in front of us.
What about the rollout and who can get them first?
Bottom line: the very first people to get these new vaccines will almost surely be health care workers, and starting some time on in December. The rollout after that has too many variables to usefully predict, but it’s going to be the biggest thing of its type ever attempted, in people-per-unit-time. And yes, I think it’s going to work, and not a minute too soon.
Just an FYI, Derek is a PhD Medicinal Chemist who has worked in pharma for 30+ years. He has been blogging on science topics for a very long time. He knows the ins and outs of pharma and what it takes for a medicine to get approved. He tells it like it is and doesn't hold back. For those that don't know my background, I have a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry. I entered pharma in 2014 as a process chemist and have worked in process chemistry ever since. Basically, I oversee the manufacture of drug substances for clinical trials as well as for commercial use. I also know what it takes for a potential medicine to get approved. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
I just posted the answers to the questions. There is more discussion on the data if you want to read about it.
https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2020/11/18/vaccine-possibilities
How long will protection last?
Bottom line: Taken together, this study, several others over the past few months, and this recent work all paint a consistent picture of a strong, normal, lasting immune response in the great majority of patients. Add in the results we’re seeing from the two vaccines that have reported interim data so far, and I think that the prospects for lasting immunity from vaccination are also very good. Remember, the early vaccine data suggested antibody responses at least as strong as those found in naturally infected cases. There seems (so far) every reason to think that vaccine-based immunity will be as good or better than that conferred by actual coronavirus infection. I very much look forward to more data to shore up this conclusion, but that’s how it looks to me at the moment.
How protective are these vaccines and will they provide total protection?
Bottom line: the results we have so far indicate that these vaccines will indeed provide strong protection in the great majority of patients. The number of asymptomatic cases among the vaccinated population will be a harder number to pin down, but I believe that we should be in good enough shape there as well, based on antibody levels in the primate studies and what we’re seeing in humans.
What about mutations? Will the virus move out from under the vaccine's target?
Bottom line: the coronavirus can’t undergo the wholesale changes that we see with the influenza viruses. And the mutations we’re seeing so far appear to still be under the umbrella of the antibody protection we’ll be raising with vaccination, which argues that it’s difficult to escape it.
How safe are these vaccines? What do we know about side effects?
Bottom line: immediate safety looks good so far. Rare side effects and long-term ones are still possible, but based on what we’ve seen with other vaccines, they do not look to be anywhere at all significant compared to the pandemic we have in front of us.
What about the rollout and who can get them first?
Bottom line: the very first people to get these new vaccines will almost surely be health care workers, and starting some time on in December. The rollout after that has too many variables to usefully predict, but it’s going to be the biggest thing of its type ever attempted, in people-per-unit-time. And yes, I think it’s going to work, and not a minute too soon.
Just an FYI, Derek is a PhD Medicinal Chemist who has worked in pharma for 30+ years. He has been blogging on science topics for a very long time. He knows the ins and outs of pharma and what it takes for a medicine to get approved. He tells it like it is and doesn't hold back. For those that don't know my background, I have a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry. I entered pharma in 2014 as a process chemist and have worked in process chemistry ever since. Basically, I oversee the manufacture of drug substances for clinical trials as well as for commercial use. I also know what it takes for a potential medicine to get approved. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Last edited: