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HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE said positive developments from vaccine trials are encouraging, but it is still “too early to celebrate”.
Today Pfizer and BioNTech said their vaccine was 90% effective in preventing Covid-19 infections in ongoing Phase 3 trials.
According to preliminary findings, protection in patients was achieved seven days after the second of two doses, and 28 days after the first. The companies said they expect to supply up to 50 million vaccine doses globally in 2020, and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021.
Speaking at the Department of Health press briefing this evening, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said he had seen the press release today, but pointed out that this Phase 3 trial “isn’t yet complete”.
“We’ve seen it and and we know there are a number of companies involved in vaccine development, and we’re hopeful that we will see reliable data when it becomes available to the regulatory authorities who have to inspect this data and when it’s published in the scientific literature and we’re in a position to to examine it, and determine,” he said.
“But we’ve seen it and we’re aware of it and, obviously, if these are borne out when we see the regularity data, if these are borne out when we see these scientific publications, that’s the kind of thing we’ll want to be seeing.”
Dr Cillian de Gascun, director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory (NVRL) said the news is “positive”, but there will still be practical challenges to work out with any vaccine.
“Over 90% effective – if that holds true in the real world – will be a very good start from a vaccination perspective. Obviously, it’s a two dose schedule so there’s some potential logistical challenges around that,” he said.
“The duration of protection, obviously is something we don’t yet know. Similarly, we know from the media reports this vaccine requires an ultra cold chain of minus 80 degrees. So, again, logistically it could be difficult to roll it out so it’s not going to be the global solution, but certainly it’s very positive first step.”
Vaccine roll-out plans
Dr Holohan said the news is “hopeful but [it's] certainly not time for celebration”, and he wanted to remind people of the importance of sticking to the public health advice as it will take time to roll out any effective vaccination. He said there is work being done at the moment to pan for this roll out.
“There are a number of things about this particular vaccine and whatever vaccines will become available that are yet to be known in terms of the ultimate effectiveness in practice, the numbers of doses required, logistical issues around a cold chain and a range of things like that that all have to be factored into planning work that’s going on now with the HSE with the support of the department and other organisations.
“What will happen from a regulatory point of view is that regulation of vaccines is undertaken for EU member states as one single regulatory process at a European level by the European Medicines Agency and that’s how that’s assessed.
“We’ll wait for their assessments of those things as and when data becomes available for the various different vaccine trials around effectiveness and safety of vaccines, and that will all feed into the planning and potential roll-out.”
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My brother has had 2 kidney transplants first one from our dad and second time from a donor as a family we cannot thank them for being willing to donate organs and their loved ones enough for carrying out their wishes despite their heartbreak and grief. Please let your loved ones know if you want to donate your organs
I will be eternally grateful to my donors family. It is a difficult decision for families at a very difficult time. My donor saved four lives and impacted many many more lives. I know my donors family were happy to see something incredible happen for others out of a very tragic accident. Make your own views known to your nearest and dearest, it makes the decision easier and it makes a huge difference. The gift of life.
It should be an automatic enrolment on the donor list, opt out if you have strong preferences against it
Not hard to implement, and could do away with situations where next of kin aren’t sure of loved one’s wishes, and don’t donate their loved ones organs – “Just in case they wouldn’t have wanted it”.
With an opt-out system we gain hugely I think
And if you’re a transplant recipient – always – send a letter of thanks. It’s anonymous but the comfort it brings to donor families is enormous.
@Niall Sheridan: some can’t believe it or not its a really hard letter to write, the enormity of which shouldn’t be under estimated.
Ireland should operate an automatic opt in system for ORG donations.
Be a hero be a donor
Agreed, why not implement a opt out system in line with the UK system Max and Keira’s Law’. Doubtless the government will engage some external consultants, a couple of years and several millions later, they will reach this conclusion.
My daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 7. We always knew there was an increased risk of kidney disease that would ultimately end In a transplant. What we didn’t expect was when she was 19 to be told she would at some point need at least one liver transplant due to a rare autoimmune liver condition.
(The condition eventually comes back after transplant but can be slowed down) some at the same point she is, by the age of 40 have had 5 transplants, others have had none. Ireland don’t do live liver transplants either as I wanted to be a donor.
Her condition further deteriorated after 18 months due to another chronic severe autoimmune disease. It’s an extremely rare combinations of autoimmune conditions.
I’m not sure how viable my organs will be when I die but whatever they can use they can have. When we die our bodies will be cremated or they will rot where they could be used to actually save lives and give people a chance to live those lives to the full.
have your say