Vaccine
US to recommend COVID vaccine boosters at 8 months
U.S. experts are expected to recommend COVID-19 vaccine boosters for all Americans, regardless of age, eight months after they received their second dose of the shot, to ensure lasting protection against the coronavirus as the delta variant spreads across the country.
Federal health officials have been actively looking at whether extra shots for the vaccinated would be needed as early as this fall, reviewing case numbers in the U.S. as well as the situation in other countries such as Israel, where preliminary studies suggest the vaccine’s protection against serious illness dropped among those vaccinated in January.
An announcement on the U.S. booster recommendation was expected as soon as this week, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
Doses would only begin to be administered widely once the Food and Drug Administration formally approves the vaccines. That action is expected for the Pfizer shot in the coming weeks.
READ: US okays Covid booster dose for those with weak immune systems
Last week, U.S. health officials recommended boosters for some with weakened immune systems, citing their higher risk of catching the virus and evidence that the vaccines’ effectiveness waned over time.
The director of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Francis Collins, said Sunday the U.S. could decide in the next couple weeks whether to offer coronavirus booster shots to Americans this fall.
Among the first to receive them could be health care workers, nursing home residents and other older Americans, who were some of the first Americans to be vaccinated once the shots received emergency use authorization last December.
Since then, more than 198 million Americans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with more than 168 million fully vaccinated. Still, the country is experiencing a fourth surge of virus cases due to the more transmissible delta variant, which is spreading aggressively through unvaccinated communities but is also responsible for an increasing number of so-called “breakthrough infections” of fully vaccinated people.
Israel, which exclusively administered the Pfizer shot, has been offering a coronavirus booster to people over 60 who were already vaccinated more than five months ago in an effort to control its own surge in cases from the delta variant.
READ: Why might COVID-19 vaccine boosters be necessary?
For months, officials had said data still indicated that people remain highly protected from COVID-19, including the delta variant, after receiving the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna regimen or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. But U.S. health officials made clear Sunday they are preparing for the possibility that the time for boosters may come sooner than later.
“There is a concern that the vaccine may start to wane in its effectiveness,” Collins said. “And delta is a nasty one for us to try to deal with. The combination of those two means we may need boosters, maybe beginning first with health care providers, as well as people in nursing homes, and then gradually moving forward” with others, such as older Americans who were among the first to get vaccinations.
He said because the delta variant only started hitting the U.S. hard in July, the “next couple of weeks” of case data will help the U.S. make a decision.
Officials were continuing to collect information as well about the J&J vaccine, which was only approved in the U.S. in late February, to determine when to recommend boosters, one of the officials said.
The White House has said that even though the U.S. has begun sharing more than 110 million vaccine doses with the world, the nation has enough domestic supply to deliver boosters to Americans should they be recommended by health officials.
Global health officials, including the World Health Organization, have called on wealthier and more-vaccinated countries to hold off on booster shots to ensure the supply of first doses for people in the developing world.
US mulls 3rd vaccine dose for elderly as early as fall
Amid warning of tough days ahead with surging Covid-19 infections, the director of the National Institutes of Health said Sunday the US could decide in the next couple of weeks whether to offer Covid booster shots to Americans this fall.
Among the first to receive them could be health care workers, nursing home residents and other older Americans.
Dr Francis Collins also pleaded anew for unvaccinated people to get their shots, calling them "sitting ducks" for a delta variant that is ravaging the country and showing little sign of letting up.
"This is going very steeply upward with no signs of having peaked out," he said.
Federal health officials have been actively looking at whether extra shots for the vaccinated may be needed as early as this fall, reviewing case numbers in the US "almost daily" as well as the situation in other countries, where preliminary studies suggest the vaccine's protection against serious illness dropped among those vaccinated in January.
No US decision has been made because cases here so far still indicate that people remain highly protected from Covid-19, including the delta variant, after receiving the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna regimen or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
But US health officials made clear Sunday they are preparing for the possibility that the time for boosters may come sooner than later.
READ: Pfizer to seek OK for 3rd vaccine dose; shots still protect
"There is a concern that the vaccine may start to wane in its effectiveness," Francis said. "And delta is a nasty one for us to try to deal with. The combination of those two means we may need boosters, maybe beginning first with health care providers, as well as people in nursing homes, and then gradually moving forward" with others, such as older Americans who were among the first to get vaccinations after they became available late last year.
He said because the delta variant only started hitting the US hard in July, the "next couple of weeks" of case data will help the US make a decision.
Moderna President Stephen Hoge said seeing some "breakthrough" infections emerge among the vaccinated within six months has been surprising, even if most symptoms so far have not been life-threatening. "I think that suggests we are going to need booster vaccines to get through the winter."
Last week, the Food and Drug Administration said people with weakened immune systems can get an extra dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines to better protect them as the delta variant continues to surge.
"If it turns out as the data come in, we see we do need to give an additional dose to people in nursing homes, actually, or people who are elderly, we will be prepared to do that very quickly," said Dr Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser.
The US is now seeing an average of about 129,000 new infections a day – a 700% increase from the beginning of July – that number could jump in the next couple weeks to 200,000, a level not seen since among the pandemic's worst days in January and February, Francis said.
Both he and Fauci stressed that the best way to stem the virus is for the unvaccinated to get their shots.
Currently, about 60% of the US population has gotten at least one dose and nearly 51% are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Areas with low vaccination rates have been particularly hit hard with infections, such as Louisiana, Texas, Florida and Mississippi.
The rapidly escalating surge in infections across the US has caused a shortage of intensive care unit beds, nurses and other front-line staff in virus hotspots that can no longer keep up with the flood of unvaccinated patients.
READ: Pfizer studying effects of 3rd vaccine dose
Health officials also warn that more children who are not yet eligible for vaccines could get infected, though it is not clear whether the delta variant leads to more severe illness among them.
No vaccine crisis in the country, says Quader
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Saturday trashed the criticism against the recent mass vaccination campaign describing the drive as effective and successful.
Quader, who is also general secretary of Awami League, said this while addressing a discussion meeting organized by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University on the occasion of National Mourning Day this morning.
He asserted that there is no crisis of Covid jabs in the country and there won’t be in future.
Also read: Dhaka to receive 10 lakh Sinopharm vaccine doses shortly
"All that is being said about the implementation and delivery of the mass vaccination programme is unacceptable. Vaccines are currently coming from different countries and sources and it will continue to come in the next six months," he assured.
The link between the COVID-19 vaccine and pregnancy
Earlier this week we reported the government has decided to include pregnant and lactating women in the nationwide Covid-19 inoculation programme amid a worrying rise in Covid-19 hospital admissions across the country.
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) issued a notice regarding this Sunday. Although the pregnant women are now eligible for Covid-19 vaccination, they must follow some instructions before getting vaccinated, according to the DGHS.
They have to take the Covid shots from government vaccination centres with medical facilities after getting counselling from a registered physician there.
Read: Pregnant woman with Covid-19 unlikely to pass infection to newborns: Study
Pregnant women, who are unwell or suffering from chronic illness or have a history of vaccine allergy, will not be allowed to take the jabs.
Medical experts say there’s no biological reason the shots would affect fertility. And the AP reports real-world evidence offers more assurance for anyone worried about their chances of conceiving: In Pfizer’s study, a similar number of women became pregnant in the group given the vaccine as in the group given dummy shots.
Researchers are starting to study anecdotal reports of short-term changes to periods after the vaccine, but there’s no indication so far that the shots put fertility at risk, said Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, a gynecologist and professor at the Yale University School of Medicine.
Read: Pregnant, lactating women to get Covid jab: DGHS
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and obstetrician groups also recommend COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant individuals, who have a higher risk of severe illness if infected with the coronavirus. Research shows pregnant people who get the virus are more likely to be admitted to intensive care, receive invasive ventilation and die than their non-pregnant peers.
The CDC also followed tens of thousands of pregnant women who got the vaccines and found they had comparable pregnancy outcomes to pregnant women before the pandemic.
So whether you are thinking about having a baby, trying to conceive or undergoing fertility treatments, you should not delay vaccination, Dr. Denise Jamieson, chair of the department of gynaecology and obstetrics at Emory University School of Medicine, told AP.
1.77 mln doses of Sinopharm vaccine on way to Dhaka
Bangladesh will soon receive another consignment of 1.77 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine under COVAX facility.The consignment will be arriving here by Emirates Airlines flight which departed Beijing at 7:20am (Beijing time) on Wednesday.The vaccines will arrive will arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport via Doha, said Hualong Yan, Deputy Chief of Mission at Chinese Embassy in Dhaka.
READ: 1.7mn Sinopharm vaccine doses to arrive soon
On Tuesday, Bangladesh received Sinopharm's 1.7 million doses of vaccine under COVAX facility.Earlier, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said Bangladesh will receive another consignment of 34 lakh doses of Sinopharm vaccine this week while 60 lakh doses of Pfizer vaccine in September next week.
READ: Vaccination drive in Bangladesh: Procurement of 60 mln Sinopharm doses gets nod
Apart from that, he said Bangladesh will also receive 10 lakh doses of AstraZeneca vaccine soon which is likely to come under the COVAX facility.
Khulna man gets 2 doses of vaccine in one minute
When people are struggling to get one dose of Covid vaccine during the countrywide mega immunisation drive, a young man in Khulna district has allegedly been given two shots on his left arm within one minute.
The man identified as Mohammad Rokonuzzaman, 36, is a resident of Dakkhin Tutpara in the city.
This is second such incident in Khulna in just a week. Earlier a 73-year-old woman complained of receiving two doses of vaccine on Saturday.
READ: 39 more die of Covid in Khulna division
Rokonuzzaman, said “I entered the vaccination room around 12:30 pm at Khulna General Sadar Hospital. A nurse asked me whether I was suffering from high blood pressure and I replied no. She then administered the vaccine on my left arm. After just one minute, another nurse administered a dose to me on the same arm. Then I asked them why they gave me two doses but they ignored me. Now I am feeling weak.”
Khulna Civil Surgeon Niaz Mohammad, said “We are giving the Covid jabs but still we did not make any mistake. Hundreds of people are being administered Covid vaccine. One mistake can happen but no one from the hospital informed me about it. However, I am looking into it.”
READ: Covid claims 36 more lives in Khulna division
Earlier on August 7, Zahura Begum, 73, wife of Mansur Khan of Sonadanga Moylapota Staff Quarter, complained of receiving two doses while going to take the jabs from Hafizur Rahman Eidgah Maidan vaccine centre.
Moderna says vaccine 93% effective but seeks 3rd-shot in fall
Moderna Inc said its Covid-19 vaccine remained 93% effective through six months after the second shot but pointed to the likelihood of the need for a third-dose booster in the fall.
The company attributed the need for a booster shot to what it calls "increased force of infection" resulting from the highly contagious Delta variant that is expected to push up the number of breakthrough infections in vaccinated individuals.
"We are pleased that our Covid-19 vaccine is showing durable efficacy of 93% through six months, but recognise that the Delta variant is a significant new threat," Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said Thursday as the company reported its second-quarter earnings and revenue.
Read: 11 billion-plus doses needed to vaccinate 70% people: Guterres
Antibody levels are expected to "continue to wane and eventually impact vaccine efficacy," which leads to the view that a third booster shot will likely be necessary before the winter season," the Massachusetts-based firm said.
Moderna's vaccine, which uses a new technology known as messenger RNA, was the second type of two-dose vaccines that were granted emergency use authorisation by the US drug regulator in December last year.
The company's latest analysis of a clinical trial showed the vaccine had a 93.2% efficacy against Covid-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus, and 98.2% efficacy against severe symptoms, with no deaths reported.
Read: Bangladesh to procure 6 crore Sinopharm vaccine doses: Minister
But the data does not include the vaccine's performance against the Delta variant, first detected in India.
So far, Bangladesh has administered at least 14,733,314 doses of Covid vaccines – including 110,1897 Moderna shots.
There are many variants of SARS-CoV-2 that can cause Covid. Each variant is the result of a random mutation of the original virus.
The main variant of concern now in Bangladesh, and indeed worldwide, is the Delta variant. This variant spreads more quickly than the original virus, increasing the number of hospitalisations or deaths.
11 billion-plus doses needed to vaccinate 70% people: Guterres
More than 11 billion doses are needed to vaccinate 70% of the global population – a key threshold to ending the acute phase of the Covid-19 pandemic, the UN chief said Thursday.
This will take the largest public health effort in history, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said while addressing the first International Forum on Covid-19 Vaccine Cooperation in China through a video message.
The global pandemic has already claimed more than 4 million lives. Against this backdrop, Guterres underscored that the world needs a Global Vaccine Plan to at least double vaccine production and ensure equitable distribution, using COVAX as a platform.
"We also need an Emergency Task Force – at the G20 level – to coordinate its implementation," he said.
Read: Moderna says vaccine 93% effective but seeks 3rd-shot in fall
Although the remarkable and rapid development of Covid-19 vaccines offers "great hope" that the devastating pandemic can be overcome, everyone must be reached everywhere, "as quickly as possible," the UN chief said.
To double the manufacturing capacity, a much greater sharing of technology and know-how will be needed.
It will also require strengthening and building local production capacities around the world and addressing supply chain bottlenecks, according to the UN chief.
"This is a matter of fairness and justice – but it is also critical to avoid the emergence of further variants that can resist the current vaccines and undermine national vaccination efforts," he said.
Read: Bangladesh to procure 6 crore Sinopharm vaccine doses: Minister
The UN chief welcomed agreements signed last month with the UN-led equitable vaccine distribution initiative, COVAX, for the provision of Chinese-developed Sinopharm and Sinovac shots, saying the deal unlocked potential supplies of more than 500 million doses.
Also, the top UN official described the first meeting of the International Vaccine Forum as "a critical opportunity to bring together countries with vaccine production capacities, pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers to advance global cooperation on vaccines."
Covid vaccine seekers overwhelm Suhrawardy Hospital; chaos all around
A chaotic situation was created at the city’s Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital on Saturday as thousands of jab-seekers turned up overwhelming its medical staff.
Nearly 4,000 vaccine seekers, including men and women, were seen waiting in queues in the corridors of its first and second floors with the vaccination going on at a snail’s pace.
Outraged by the “mismanagement”, the vaccine seekers said the situation turned worse as there was no arrangement for women to stand in any separate queue.
Also read: Mega Covid inoculation drive begins in Bangladesh
Tired of the long wait in the queue, the irate crowds got involved in quarrels with Ansar personnel and the hospital staff.
Some of them were seen trying to push each other to enter the vaccination rooms venting their anger amid chaos.
Inside the vaccination rooms, it was found that only two to three nurses were providing shots while another two or three medical staff checking vaccination registration papers. They had to struggle a lot to cope with the situation for lack of manpower.
About the situation, Prof Dr Md Shahadat Hossain, Vice Principal of the Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital said the vaccine centre was originally designated for Bangladeshi expatriates before being selected for the mass vaccination, too. “As a result, the hospital had to face an extra pressure,” he said.
Also read: Bangladesh to procure 6 crore Sinopharm vaccine doses: Minister
He said the centre sent messages to 1,000 people inviting them to take vaccine shots. “But about 4,000 have come to receive that from this hospital. This hospital has also been dealing with 500 Covid-19 patients besides the vaccination. It’s a huge pressure”
He noted that the centre is providing different brands of vaccines like AstraZeneca, Sinovac, Moderna and Pfizer.
“So, we’ve to provide the shots very carefully choosing the right brands as some people are coming for the first dose while some are for the second ones,” he added.
Bangladesh to receive 34 lakh Sinopharm vaccine doses next week: FM
Bangladesh will receive another consignment of 34 lakh doses of Sinopharm vaccine next week while 60 lakh doses of Pfizer vaccine in the first week of September, said Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Thursday.
Apart from that, Bangladesh will also receive 10 lakh doses of AstraZeneca vaccine soon which is likely to come under the COVAX facility, he said.
“We’ve lined up well. We think we’re on the right track,” he told reporters at State guesthouse Padma after attending a function there.
Referring to the Health Ministry, Dr Momen said Bangladesh has a stock of 1.23 crore vaccine doses and some of the doses (AstraZeneca) will be kept for the second dose.
Read: No movement without vaccine will be allowed after Aug. 11: Minister
On coproduction of vaccine, he said the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on coproduction of Sinopharm vaccine in Bangladesh will be signed at any moment.
The Law Ministry has already cleared it after vetting and it will be signed at any moment, said the Foreign Minister adding that “Everything is final.”
Dr Momen said the coproduction of vaccine doses in Bangladesh is essential. “I want the start of coproduction.”
Earlier, he said the MoU is with the Health Ministry and the Health Ministry should dispose of it very quickly.
Read: Vaccine coproduction deal with Sinopharm ready for signing: FM
Dr Momen said the government of Bangladesh, Sinopharm and a local company (Incepta Pharmaceuticals Ltd) will sign the agreement.
Incepta will bring in bulk and bottling, labeling and finishing of the vaccine will be done locally making the price relatively very cheap.
Asked whether there is any shift from the government plan to vaccinate 1 crore people each week, Dr Momen said it is their target as per the Health Ministry and hoped to vaccinate 8 crore people within two months.