COVID Vaccine Might Not Guarantee Full Protection; WHO Warns Brazil & India Of High Transmission Rates

Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay

New York: While all eyes are on a vaccine to fight COVID-19 effectively, some experts believe that it may protect us from the virus but not completely like the polio vaccine.

A report in The Atlantic explains that these vaccines will most likely protect against severe effects of the disease like blood clots, organ failures and others.

Why?

One of the reasons highlighted in the report is that the COVID vaccine shot will be given in the shoulder or some muscle. Antibodies will be created in the blood by circulation. The COVID-19 virus, however, doesn’t enter via muscles but via mucous membranes in the mouth and nose where it is unlikely to encounter many antibodies. Vaccinated people might get the disease but the infection will be minimal and vital organs like lungs will remain protected.

Six vaccines are already in Phase 3 of human trials or are about to enter. The human trial phases consist of Phase 1 for safety, Phase 2 for efficacy and dosing, and Phase 3 for efficacy in a huge group of tens of thousands of people.

The World Health Organization on Monday warned that there may never be a “silver bullet” for COVID-19 even though a number of vaccines are in the advance phase. The road to normalcy is long.

WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus asked nations to “Do it all” in terms of masks, social distancing, hand washing and testing.

WHO emergencies head Mike Ryan said countries with high transmission rates like Brazil and India need to brace for a big battle adding, “The way out is long and requires a sustained commitment.”