Need to encourage COVID-19 vaccination
According to the current date, in Bangladesh about 4.4% (7.13 M) of the population is fully vaccinated and about 24.8 million doses have given. However, these number could be much higher if the people would much aware of being vaccinated but for being illiterate and spreading misconception through different medium most of the elderly citizens are not willing to take the vaccine.
A study found that 61.16% of the respondents were willing to accept the vaccine. Among them, only 35.14% showed the willingness to take immediately, while 64.86% would delay the vaccination until they are confirmed about the vaccine's efficacy and safety or COVID-19 become deadlier in Bangladesh. So, it is our responsibility to make them understood the necessity of vaccine and its harmlessness.
Currently, 7 vaccines are approved in Bangladesh to use those are briefly described here.
In November 2020, Pfizer-Biotech released the results of their vaccine trail. The vaccine was administered to about 40,000 people and within seven days of the second dose, it was 95% effective in preventing infection.
In December 2020, Moderna published the results of their clinical trials. The results showed that the vaccine was able to prevent corona virus in 94% of cases in 30,000 people. The vaccine is given in two doses; the second dose being given 28 days after the first dose.
Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine was developed by Oxford University and the British Swedish company Astra Zeneca, and their trials have shown that the vaccine is effective in administering the vaccine 30,000 people at 82-90 percent. The vaccine is administered in two doses at intervals of 4 to 12 weeks.
Sputnik V, origin Russia is an adenovirus viral vector vaccine. The CEO of the RDIF, Kirill Dmitriev claimed that this 'V' on the name is the victory against COVID-19. According to the director of Gamaleya Institute, Denis Logunov, it is about 90% effective against Delta variant.
Sino pharm vaccine is 79% effective. It is an inactivated type COVID-19 vaccine which is formulated by Beijing Institute of Biological Products (BIBP), is given as 2 doses (0.5 ml) intramuscularly. 3 to 4 weeks interval is recommended between the two doses and suggested for the people aged 18 or above.
Janssen a single dose vaccine of Johnson & Johnson, which is developed by using non-replicating viral vector technology and approved in 59 countries. It is 66% effective in a one-dose regimen in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 and does not need to be stored frozen.
Sinovac: CoronaVac, an inactivated type COVID-19 vaccine, 51% effective against symptomatic infection, which is approved in 39 countries. It is developed by Sinovac/China National Pharmaceutical Group. Two doses are recommended in a 2 to 4 weeks interval.
Hopefully, according to the current data of the World Health Organisation (WHO) there are 110 vaccines in the clinical development stage and about 184 vaccines are on the pre-clinical development stage.
Although, everyone was eagerly waiting for the discovery of the corona vaccine, but when it is available there are fears among many about its side effects. The side effects of corona vaccines are similar to those of other vaccines such as pain, swelling, fever, headache etc. However, a very small number of people have allergic reactions.
The centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States have found that 106 allergic reactions occurred after a dose of about 4 million in Moderna. Indeed, no drugs or vaccines are free from side effects. By proper vaccinating, we will be able to protect ourselves as well as the people around us. In the future, it may be possible to eradicate the corona virus, like chicken pox, from the earth through vaccination.
The writer is a student at the Department of Pharmacy at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Gopalganj.
Email: iffat.phr@yahoo.com
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