COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca is now authorized across the EU

COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca is a vaccine, approved in order to prevent the COVID-19 in people aged 18 years and older. COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus also named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca is basically made up of another virus belonging to the adenovirus family, and that has been modified to contain the gene for building a protein from SARS-CoV-2. This vaccine does not contain the virus itself and cannot cause COVID-19.

COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca is approved to be given as a couple of injections into the arm, the second dose should be given between 4 to 12 weeks following the first dose. 

The most common side effects with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca were usually mild or moderate and got better within a few days following vaccination. The most common side effects are fever, headache, tiredness, pain/tenderness at the injection site, muscle pain, a general feeling of being unwell, chills, nausea, and joint pain.

The European Medicines Agency has recommended granting a conditional marketing authorisation for COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca to prevent COVID-19 disease. This is the third COVID-19 vaccine that European Medicines Agency has recommended for the authorisation.

The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has thoroughly evaluated the data on the safety, standard, welfare, and effectiveness of the vaccine. This will help in order to assure the citizens of the EU that this vaccine meets the EU standards and puts in place the safeguards, controls and obligations to underpin EU-wide vaccination campaigns.

EMA executive director Emer Cooke stated, “With this third positive opinion, we have further expanded the arsenal of vaccines available to EU and European Economic Area member states to combat the pandemic and protect their citizens,”

“As in previous cases, the CHMP has rigorously evaluated this vaccine, and the scientific basis of our effort underpins our firm commitment to safeguard the health status of EU citizens.”

Combined outcomes from 4 clinical trials carried out in the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa specified that the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca is safe as well as effective at preventing COVID-19. These studies were conducted with around 24,000 people altogether. Out of 24,000 people, half of them were given the vaccine and half were received a control injection, either a dummy injection or another non-COVID vaccine. 

The safety profile/data of the vaccine has been signified across all the four conducted studies. However, the Agency based its calculation of how effectively the vaccine worked on the outcomes from study carried out in the UK (COV002) and study carried out in Brazil (COV003). The other couple of studies had fewer than 6 COVID-19 cases in each, which was not sufficient in order to measure the inhibitory effect of the vaccine. 

These evident about 59.5% reduction in the number of symptomatic COVID-19 cases in the people receiving the vaccine (64 of 5,258 got COVID-19 with symptoms) in comparison to the people receiving control injections (154 of 5,210 got COVID-19 with symptoms). It indicates that this covid 19 vaccine showed around a 60% efficacy in the clinical trials.

In these carried out studies, maximum existing members were between the ages of 18 and 55 years. The outcomes are not yet sufficient in older members aged over 55 years and older in order to provide an exact figure for how effectively this vaccine will work in this group population. The safety as well as effectiveness of this vaccine will continue to be monitored as it is used across the EU, with the help of the EU pharmacovigilance system and a number of additional studies by the covid 19 vaccine manufacturer and by European authorities.

Note: In order to know more about using the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca, refer to the package leaflet or consult a doctor.

References:

https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus_disease_2019

https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/news/ema-recommends-covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca-authorisation-eu

https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/summaries-opinion/covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca#opinion-section

https://m.timesofindia.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/coronavirus-symptoms-how-to-identify-if-your-symptoms-are-of-the-original-covid-strain-or-the-new-one/amp_etphotostory/80602126.cms

Related:

What are the COVID-19 symptoms? 

COVID-19 has the potential to affect different individuals in different ways. Most infected individuals will develop mild to moderate illness and recover without hospitalization.

The symptoms of covid 19 are as:

• fever
• dry cough
• tiredness

Less common symptoms are as:

• aches and pains
• sore throat
• diarrhoea
• conjunctivitis
• headache
• loss of taste or smell
• a rash on skin
• discolouration of fingers or toes

Serious symptoms are as:

• difficulty breathing
• shortness of breath
• chest pain or pressure
• loss of speech or movement

Apart from this, symptoms may also differ, simply based on the severity of your infection. Seek immediate medical assistance in case you’re troubling with serious symptoms.

Individuals with the mild symptoms who are otherwise healthy can manage their symptoms at home.

On average it usually takes about 5 to 6 days from when someone is infected with the virus for symptoms to show, however it can take up to about 14 days. 

What are the other approved vaccines for COVID-19? 

List of approved vaccine for covid 19 are as follows: 

• Comirnaty (BNT162b2), mRNA-based vaccine developed by Pfizer, BioNTech; Fosun Pharma. 
• Moderna (mRNA-1273), mRNA-based vaccine developed by Moderna, BARDA, NIAID (US). 
• Sputnik V, Non-replicating viral vector developed by Gamaleya Research Institute, Acellena Contract Drug Research and Development (Russia). 
• BBIBP-CorV, Inactivated vaccine developed by Beijing Institute of Biological Products; China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) China. 
• EpiVacCorona, Peptide vaccine developed by Federal Budgetary Research Institution State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology, Russia. 
• Covaxin, Inactivated vaccine developed byBharat Biotech, ICMR, India.