Doctors said more vaccines could soon be weapons in the fight against COVID-19.The AstraZeneca vaccine is still being carefully studied at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, but it has just been given authorization in the United Kingdom and officials expect to see applications for emergency use in the United States in the next month or so.Medical experts said AstraZeneca's vaccine could come just in time.They believe it will be more than capable of defending people against the latest mutation of COVID-19 and it appears to have few side effects."I think we soon are going to have four vaccines that look very effective," Dr. Robert Frenck said.Frenck, professor of pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, shared words of hope.He expects an application for emergency use authorization could be weeks away for the Oxford University, AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.It's now authorized in the United Kingdom.Frenck has been studying the two-dose vaccine at Cincinnati Children's Hospital."For both the Pfizer and Moderna, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the exact same thing for Janssen and Astra-Zeneca, is that the vaccine has shown equal efficacy across the ages, and regardless of your race, regardless of your gender," he said.Frenck said 502 people in Greater Cincinnati have volunteered in the trial.He said side effects have ranged from nothing to headache, fatigue and muscle aches and those faded.As a more infectious variant of COVID-19 has surfaced in the United States, Frenck said viruses normally mutate.The AstraZeneca vaccine uses a weakened version of the common cold virus and he thinks it will work against the mutation."It's not really worrying me that much, as far as that the spike protein is what we're having this target for our vaccine and that still looks pretty much conserved," Frenck said.AstraZeneca's vaccine is receiving praise for only requiring refrigeration which makes it easier to distribute.Company leaders have said they believe the vaccine will prove as effective as its rivals.With the Phase 3 trial nearly complete, Frenck anticipates a safe AstraZeneca vaccine will soon be added to the arsenal to protect you."To me the biggest travesty, the biggest horror is that we have vaccines and then people don't get them and then people die that could've been saved," he said.Frenck expects the Johnson and Johnson Janssen vaccine will also be up for emergency use consideration by mid-to-late January.It's important to note that during the AstraZeneca trial, there were some dosing issues and it is not clear if that will impact the EUA process.Frenck said timing for the AstraZeneca vaccine will likely be similar to the other vaccines, with a first vaccine given and a second given about four weeks later.That's to be seen once federal officials receive an application for emergency use and review the data.
Doctors said more vaccines could soon be weapons in the fight against COVID-19.
The AstraZeneca vaccine is still being carefully studied at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, but it has just been given authorization in the United Kingdom and officials expect to see applications for emergency use in the United States in the next month or so.
Medical experts said AstraZeneca's vaccine could come just in time.
They believe it will be more than capable of defending people against the latest mutation of COVID-19 and it appears to have few side effects.
"I think we soon are going to have four vaccines that look very effective," Dr. Robert Frenck said.
Frenck, professor of pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, shared words of hope.
He expects an application for emergency use authorization could be weeks away for the Oxford University, AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
It's now authorized in the United Kingdom.
Frenck has been studying the two-dose vaccine at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
"For both the Pfizer and Moderna, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the exact same thing for Janssen and Astra-Zeneca, is that the vaccine has shown equal efficacy across the ages, and regardless of your race, regardless of your gender," he said.
Frenck said 502 people in Greater Cincinnati have volunteered in the trial.
He said side effects have ranged from nothing to headache, fatigue and muscle aches and those faded.
As a more infectious variant of COVID-19 has surfaced in the United States, Frenck said viruses normally mutate.
The AstraZeneca vaccine uses a weakened version of the common cold virus and he thinks it will work against the mutation.
"It's not really worrying me that much, as far as that the spike protein is what we're having this target for our vaccine and that still looks pretty much conserved," Frenck said.
AstraZeneca's vaccine is receiving praise for only requiring refrigeration which makes it easier to distribute.
Company leaders have said they believe the vaccine will prove as effective as its rivals.
With the Phase 3 trial nearly complete, Frenck anticipates a safe AstraZeneca vaccine will soon be added to the arsenal to protect you.
"To me the biggest travesty, the biggest horror is that we have vaccines and then people don't get them and then people die that could've been saved," he said.
Frenck expects the Johnson and Johnson Janssen vaccine will also be up for emergency use consideration by mid-to-late January.
It's important to note that during the AstraZeneca trial, there were some dosing issues and it is not clear if that will impact the EUA process.
Frenck said timing for the AstraZeneca vaccine will likely be similar to the other vaccines, with a first vaccine given and a second given about four weeks later.
That's to be seen once federal officials receive an application for emergency use and review the data.
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