NEW JAB JOY
Typical! You wait all year for a corona vaccine and then 3 come along at the same time..
A THIRD new Covid vaccine v – developed in Britain – is safe and a especially effective effect on the over 65s. Whether it stops them groaning when they sit down d remains to be seen.
A THIRD coronavirus vaccine has been given the safety all- clear.
The encouraging news on the Oxford Covid- 19 jab comes after the Moderna and Pfizer/ Biontech SE successes.
The breakthrough came in a Phase 2 trial involving 560 healthy adults, including 240 over the age of 70.
The results showed the Oxford vaccine is better tolerated in over- 65s rather than younger adults. Phase 3 will determine if the immune responses are associated with protection against the virus.
Study author Professor Andrew Pollard, of Oxford University, said: “Immune responses from vaccines are often lessened in older adults because the immune system gradually deteriorates with age, which also leaves older adults more susceptible to infections.
“It is crucial that Covid- 19 vaccines are tested in this group, who are also a priority group for immunisation.”
Co- author Professor Sarah Gilbert said: “The WHO has outlined a number of critical factors for Covid- 19 vaccines, including that they must be targeted at the most at- risk groups including older adults. They
must also be safe, effective in preventing disease and/ or transmission and provide at least six months of protection for people frequently exposed to the virus, such as healthcare workers.
“Our new study answers some of these questions about protecting older adults. “But questions remain about effectiveness and length of protection and we need to confirm our results in older adults with underlying conditions to ensure that our vaccine protects those most at risk of severe Covid- 19 disease.” The news comes after Pfizer said its vaccine was 95% effective. The vaccine, in collaboration with German partner Bion- Tech SE, is due to be distributed in the UK before the end of the year.